The South African Police Service in KZN has defended its Provincial Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi amid allegations of interference and abuse of power, saying he had "angered the criminal world".
Mkhwanazi had come under fire following accusations that he had prevented the arrest of a senior Correctional Services official suspected of operating a drug cartel out of Westville Maximum Security Prison.
KZN Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said General Mkhwanazi was being targeted for the work he has done in cleaning up crime in the province.
Speaking to IOL on Monday, Netshiunda, brushed off the allegations saying “the criminal world was angered” by the police's work in eliminating the drug syndicates and other serious crimes in the province.
“The allegations about the interference of Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in an intended arrest is not something that was not expected.
“When police work diligently, the criminal world is expected to be angered. Those unfounded, baseless, and malicious allegations are nothing but a smear campaign aimed at derailing police in KwaZulu-Natal from focusing on fighting crime.
“No allegations will stop the police from protecting law-abiding citizens. No amount of personal attack on Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi will erase the great work that police in KwaZulu-Natal have done and continue to do.
Netshiunda felt that public confidence in the police in KwaZulu-Natal had not been dented and would not need to be restored following the accusations against Mkhwanazi.
However, violence and police monitor Professor Mary De Haas said the allegations were “serious”, and an independent oversight body should be established to address the allegations of abuse of power in the SAPS.
“The allegations are serious, and currently, there are also other serious allegations being made against General Mkhwanazi relating to his working relationship with the political killings task team, which was supposed to have been disbanded by now, and obviously, we need to hear his response, including by way of a sworn statement, to these allegations.
“The National Commissioner has a close working relationship with General Mkhwanazi, so what is needed is some independent inquiry, but independent is the operative word. Unfortunately, IPID is not fulfilling its mandated role and is riddled with problems. It is for this reason that we need a judicial oversight body. For example, the Hawks are supposed to have an oversight judge, but the former minister had not filled the post, and I do not know if it has yet been filled.
“I believe that as a matter of urgency, a judge experienced in criminal law matters, assisted if necessary by a similarly qualified advocate, should be appointed to deal with all these complaints about policing, including IPID. Also needed is the implementation of the National Development Plan recommendations on policing, which includes the appointment of an independent oversight body," De Haas said.
Approached for comment, national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said that all questions related to Mkhwanazi should be directed to the KZN media division.
Mkhwanazi remains one of the most popular provincial police commissioners in the country, known for tackling some of the high crime activities in the province.
Recently, he was hailed for his involvement in the murder case of Hip Hop artist Kiernan "AKA" Forbes, in which some suspects who were hiding in eSwatini were brought back to the country and officially charged with the murder.
IOL