Mkhwanazi turns individual triumph into SAPS tribute

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KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has dedicated his 2025 Newsmaker of the Year Award to the men and women in blue.

The police general who shook the system received the accolade at the National Press Club Awards held at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria on Friday evening.

Amid mounting policing challenges, Mkhwanazi used the occasion to shine a spotlight on frontline officers, stressing that the oath he took as a police officer remains unchanged regardless of political pressure, public opinion or personal consequences.

The award recognises the impact of his 6 July 2025 media briefing, which sent shockwaves through the country and ultimately led to the establishment of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into allegations of criminality, political interference and corruption within the criminal justice system.

Weeks after the explosive briefing, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the commission to investigate the allegations.

The inquiry has since led to the arrest of several law enforcement officials and businessmen allegedly linked to criminal activities.

Accepting the award, Mkhwanazi said the recognition should never be viewed as a personal achievement.

“This award must never be misunderstood. The media briefing of 6 July 2025 was not an exercise in popularity. It was not a campaign. It was not an attempt to become a public figure. It was an act of duty—an act informed by conscience and by the love of this country,” he said.

Mkhwanazi’s dominance

The top cop has dominated headlines since his bombshell briefing, in which he revealed that a sophisticated criminal syndicate has infiltrated South Africa’s criminal justice system.

Accepting the award, he said the work of a police officer is not performed for applause.

“It is not performed for headlines. It is not performed for awards. It is performed for the people of South Africa.”

Mkhwanazi stressed that the recognition should not be misconstrued as a personal triumph.

“As a disciplined member of the South African Police Service, I took an oath many years ago; an oath to uphold the Constitution, protect the citizens of this country and defend the rule of law without fear or favour.”

Returning repeatedly to the themes of accountability, integrity and ethical leadership, Mkhwanazi warned that South Africa was at a critical juncture.

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“We cannot continue to normalise corruption. When institutions begin to fear the truth more than they fear criminality, society enters dangerous territory. South Africa is standing at such a crossroads.

“We cannot continue to romanticise criminality while honest citizens live behind burglar bars, businesses collapse under extortion, communities are terrorised by organised crime and public trust in institutions continues to erode.”

He also challenged institutions across the country to examine whether they were serving the public interest or their own.