Madlanga Commission: Analysts dissect SAPS power struggle after Mkhwanazi’s claims

Orrin Singh

Orrin Singh

14 September 2025 | 16:45

This comes as the commission of inquiry into alleged criminality, political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system prepares to begin its work this week. KZN SAPS Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi will testify as the first witness at the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday.

Madlanga Commission: Analysts dissect SAPS power struggle after Mkhwanazi’s claims

KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in his office at the provincial operations building in Durban. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/EWN

JOHANNESBURG - Experts have raised concerns about the political struggle for power, which they say has created factional rifts within the structures of the criminal justice system amid claims of maladministration across the board.

This comes as the commission of inquiry into alleged criminality, political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system prepares to begin its work this week.

But questions of political allegiance, fuelling factionalism, continue to drive conversations in the aftermath of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Police Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s, explosive allegations in July.

Crime expert Chad Thomas revealed that the factionalism within the South African Police Service (SAPS) dates back 25 years to the very first political appointment of Jackie Selebi as the national top cop, who had no previous policing experience.

“Since then, we’ve seen political interference, which, of course, has created factionalism. The factionalism has created a fractured leadership,p and that fractured leadership has now left us with a deficit in leadership,” mouthed Thomas.

Political analyst, Kenneth Mokgatlhe, believes evidence presented at the Madlanga Commission will hurt the former governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), which is currently in bed with other parties leading South Africa.

The governance formation includes the ANC, the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), the Patriotic Alliance (PA), the GOOD Party, the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), the United Democratic Movement (UDM), Rise Mzansi, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) and Al Jama-ah.

“These divisions are a true reflection of multiple factions which exist in the ANC today.”

Lizette Lancaster of the Institute for Security Studies says the criminal justice system appointment process must be reviewed. This must follow a very transparent, merit-based and competitive process.”

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