Police top brass in public fallout: Who are the key figures?
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on Sunday blamed police minister Senzo Mchunu for the dissolution of the political killings task team after the team had uncovered a drug cartel in Gauteng allegedly involving senior police officers, politicians, prosecutors and members of the judiciary. He also accused national deputy police commissioner responsible for detectives Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya of withdrawing all case dockets from the team and transferring them to his office, where he claimed they have gathered dust.
Mchunu, when he announced the disbandment of the political task team in January, said it was no longer needed. In 2023, then police minister Bheki Cele said the task team had since its inception in July 2018, investigated 321 dockets including 155 cases of murder and 51 of attempted murder. There had been 348 arrests which had led to 62 suspects being convicted, and 155 still going through the court processes. Snapshot of the key figures: Senzo Mchunu
Mchunu is seen as a key ally of President Cyril Ramaphosa after the former staunch supporter of Jacob Zuma spoke out against state capture and endorsed the CR17 election campaign.
He became minister of police in July 2024. He previously served in the cabinet as minister of water and sanitation and of public service and administration.
He worked as a high school teacher in Nquthu and in Eshowe before going into politics full-time in 1991. He served in various provincial ANC structures in the province and was KwaZulu-Natal premier between 2013 and 2016. An alumnus of the University of Zululand and Unisa, he has a BA degree in education and international relations.
On July 4, Mchunu told parliament during his budget debate speech that he intended to ensure a clean-run police service.
'We are addressing internal matters that directly affect the functioning and credibility of the SAPS. We take this opportunity to confirm the recent arrests of senior officials in crime intelligence after the investigations by the inspector-general for intelligence and the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption. As the ministry, we have taken a defined stance against corruption within the SAPS and we unequivocally state that there is no tolerance for corruption within the SAPS,' he pronounced.
This followed the arrest of seven senior officials, including the divisional commissioner for crime intelligence, Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo, on charges relating to alleged corruption.
On Sunday, Mchunu said the allegations made against him by Mkhwanazi were baseless. His team would review the statements and consider appropriate action. Nhlanhla Sibusiso Mkhwanazi
He became a student constable in 1993 and rose through the ranks to become a lieutenant-general in 2011. He holds a BTech degree in policing and a national diploma in police administration.
Before being appointed to his role as the top cop in KwaZulu-Natal, he was head of the special task force, and a divisional commissioner of both human resource development and of operational response services. His team has come under criticism for the number of shootings between officers and suspects.
Mkhwanazi initially got the job as acting provincial commissioner in 2018 from then national SAPS boss Khehla Sitole, who was booted out by Ramaphosa after a public spat with Cele.
In April, Mchunu denied he was aware of an Independent Police Investigative Directorate probe into Mkhwanazi in relation to allegations of interference in the 2023 arrest of a correctional services official. Ipid cleared Mkhwanazi of any wrongdoing.
Mkhwanazi hinted in March that there was tension between him and Mchunu. He also told MPs he had been told there was an internal campaign against him, but he had no intention of competing for the job as head of the Hawks when his contract ended in 2026.
There was, however, speculation that Mkhwanazi was interested in the position of national commissioner as Gen Fannie Masemola is due to retire soon. Shadrack Sibiya
National police commissioner Masemola announced in mid-2023 that he had appointed then major-general Shadrack Sibiya to the position of deputy national commissioner of crime detection, promoting him to the rank of lieutenant-general. This was intended to strengthen investigative capacity within the police, the commissioner said.
He had rejoined the police as head of operations the previous year. Sibiya started his career as a student constable in 1989 at the Hammanskraal SAPS Academy and in the Knysna detectives unit.
He rose in the ranks to become a former head of the Hawks in Gauteng. Sibiya controversially lost this job over allegations of being involved in the unlawful rendition in 2010 of Zimbabweans wanted in that country for the murder of a police officer. He was cleared of this, with the move against him deemed a political conspiracy. At his disciplinary inquiry, he testified he had been the victim of a conspiracy to remove him from office, because of his attempts to prosecute the head of crime intelligence at the time, Lt-Gen Richard Mdluli, on fraud and corruption-related charges. Mdluli's case is still being heard in the courts.
Sibiya also served as head of group forensics and investigation services for the City of Johannesburg and won a court case ordering his reinstatement after a disproved assertion that his unit was spying on councillors.
He has stated publicly that he is interested in becoming the national head of the Hawks, since last month's retirement of Lt-Gen Godfrey Lebeya.
Sibiya told the SABC the allegations against him are false and criticised Mkhwenazi's conduct.
'There are processes to follow where there is such a situation or when you feel you are not being heard.
'I need to consult with my legal team. I will respond and I will prove to you that what Gen Mkhwanazi is saying is absolutely not true.
'If he has any proof, I give him permission to show the evidence that he is talking about to the media or to any other person he can trust.'
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