TOP QUOTES | Mkhwanazi on corruption, media leaks and threats to Police task teams

Allegations of misconduct, rogue intelligence operations, and political interference dominated a parliamentary hearing on police oversight.

Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi revealed that investigations are ongoing into Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s trust accounts and questioned his associations with politically unaffiliated individuals wielding influence over policing matters.

Allegations regarding Minister Senzo Mchunu

When asked directly if his evidence suggests that Minister Mchunu is corrupt, General Mkhwanazi said:

“I wouldn’t say corrupt per se… because of what has happened. We are now looking at the trust account of the Minister. That’s how deep we go in to find out what monies are in there, how they came and how they’ve been dispensed.”

Mkhwanazi explained that investigators are scrutinising the minister’s trust account, but:

“Until we discover these transitions that are happening in that trust account, then we can come back and pronounce on corruption or not. But until then, we cannot talk about corruption because we don’t have anything before us.”

General Sibiya and alleged criminal networks

On whether General Sibiya is implicated:

“I don’t think I’ve presented evidence before you that he is corrupt… Yet the investigations we have will prove that these benefits to be of illegal means that came to him, directly or indirectly.”

Mkhwanazi claimed that Sibiya allegedly benefited from underworld contributions, including property acquisitions, vehicles, livestock and other lifestyle assets.

Crucially, he added:

“He has not been working alone. He has been working with police officers… those police officers that are close to him, they’re the ones that are providing this information.”

Timeline for possible legal action

When pressed on arrests:

“It is my hope that by the time the 1st of December of this year comes, we’ll be talking about the date of the 25th of December last year in court.”

Allegations against Paul O’Sullivan and IPID

Mkhwanazi made serious allegations against Paul O’Sullivan:

“I’m going to invite Parliament… to look at the time of Mr. Robert McBride’s tenure as the head of IPID, how they were interacting with police… Mr. Nkabinde told me that operations of IPID were planned, coordinated and executed at Paul O’Sullivan’s house.”

He called for a full investigation into:

Financial records of Paul O’Sullivan and others

Phone location data, meeting venues and money movements

Procurement of surveillance “gadget” equipment by City of Johannesburg and DCI.

He questioned:

“Whether Paul O’Sullivan is a clean man or an agent… If he’s an agent, who is he working for?”

He warned:

“This country must not sit back and be run by Mr. Paul O’Sullivan… If government fails to act, people might take it upon themselves to do something drastic.”

IN FULL | KZN Police Commissioner Mkhwanazi speaks in detail about 'Brown Mogotsi'

IN PICS | Messages Brown Mogotsi sent KZN police commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi

Brown Mogotsi

General Mkhwanazi raised alarm over the Minister referring to Brown Mogotsi as a “comrade,” implying shared political affiliation, when:

“The surprise was to learn that actually he’s not a member of that political party.”

He warned that allowing someone with no formal political standing to be drawn into policing matters is “a serious concern” with potential long-term consequences.

Mkhwanazi labelled the relationship between Brown Mogotsi and the Minister as “unethical”:

“The minister claimed… he did not know the fellow… it’s been proven by the very same minister who says, no, that person is a comrade.”

Intelligence records allegedly show that Mogotsi:

Facilitated logistics for the Minister at political gatherings (e.g.

January 8 event in CapeTown),

Possessed sensitive police information such as the Minister’s calendar and security movements,

Was involved in past political campaigns of the Minister.

Mkhwanazi concluded:

“This is not a comrade, it’s a criminal that the minister invited to be part of policing.”

Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) and safety concerns

Mkhwanazi highlighted serious threats facing members of the PKTT and counter-intelligence units, especially those based in Gauteng:

“Their workplace is compromised… vehicles have been exposed in public… maybe even the names of the members are known.”

A parliamentary member allegedly leaked photos of their safe house to the media, placing officers at risk:

“That is a criminal offence. I do hope the authorities will assist us in making sure such is investigated.”

While the KZN PKTT team is said to be relatively safe (“they know how to fight the enemy”), Gauteng’s team remains vulnerable.

He called for state security investigations into the leakages of intelligence information and journalists who circulated those details.

Allegations of rogue intelligence and political manipulation

Mkhwanazi warned that intelligence structures are being used as a tool for blackmail and control:

“That’s the biggest threat to our democracy… it means MPs that are vocal about issues are going to be played.”

Asked whether housing intelligence in the Presidency gives the President undue power:

He declined to speculate but pointed out:

“Whether they are within the presidency or outside… it doesn’t seem to make any difference. If they are bad outside, they will be bad inside.”

He implied that rogue elements in intelligence existed even when the agency was not under the Presidency.

Madlanga Commission | A wrap of KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's 3 day testimony

Madlanga Commission | Timeline of police crisis: How did we get here

Rogue elements, leaks and journalists

Mkhwanazi said he receives regular intelligence from security cluster insiders, some of which he can only share with the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence due to sensitivity.

He spoke of “rogue elements” inside Crime Intelligence and SSA, leaking information to journalists and endangering whistleblowers and police:

“These leaks pose a danger to individuals. I worry more about the Gauteng team than the PKTT in KZN.”

He named a News24 journalist Abram Mashego, accusing him of being “handled by crime intelligence” and pushing a narrative against him:

Mkhwanazi called for state security to investigate journalists he claims are colluding with rogue elements, while stressing that:

“There are good journalists doing credible work, but there are very bad ones in the mix.”

Call for accountability and tougher measures

He urged Parliament to consider harsher penalties for journalists who publish sensitive or false information that jeopardises security perations:

“It must be a heavy penalty… it cannot be that media freedom protects misinformation.”

He further implied that these leaks are part of a broader strategy to destabilise policing and influence political power structures.