Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi calls for clarity on IPID investigation withdrawal amid corruption claims

“The Investigative Police Directorate (IPID) must explain to the commission why it launched and then withdrew an investigation against me – and why it said it was acting on instructions from then Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and later denied this.”

That is the view of KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who spoke exclusively to IOL this week about his reflections on the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into corruption and political interference in the police and judiciary.

While a preliminary report has been submitted to the President, the commission’s probe continues – with key aspects, including IPID’s role, still under intense scrutiny.

Central to the matter, Mkhwanazi says, are two IPID officials who claimed they received a complaint about him from Mchunu, prompting IPID to announce an investigation into the KZN police chief in 2025.

That investigation appears to have quietly fizzled out after a bizarre about-turn: IPID later claimed it was not prompted by the minister but by an anonymous complaint – after which the matter went cold and silent.

When approached by IOL, IPID’s official response each time was simply “no further comment” or that the investigation was not complete. According to Mkhwanazi, however, events unfolded very differently.

“Those individuals must appear before the commission and explain why they signed a letter confirming they received a complaint about me from the minister at that time. The acting head of IPID then flew down to Durban with an unsigned letter, which he handed to me, saying they were withdrawing the investigation against me and that I no longer needed to provide a response.

"My reputation was questioned, and since then, I have received no explanation. The matter needs answers, and I’m hoping these individuals will provide them to the commission and parliament’s ad hoc committee,” Mkhwanazi explained.

Asked if it would appear before the commission, IPID spokesperson, Lizzy Suping, replied: "IPID has been mentioned several times at the Commission and I think that we might be afforded an opportunity to engage on our investigative work. However, the Commission would be better placed to confirm who is on their witness list."

The role of IPID – the police watchdog – has come under heavy scrutiny amid allegations that it has been captured by controversial private forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan, who is currently locked in a defamation lawsuit with Mkhwanazi.

In his evidence before the commission, Mkhwanazi called for O’Sullivan to be investigated over allegations that he coordinated, planned, and controlled IPID operations from his home.

Former IPID head Robert McBride admitted in testimony before parliament’s ad hoc committee that he did consult O’Sullivan during his tenure, but denied that IPID had been captured by him.

When questioned on trustworthiness, McBride described O’Sullivan as trustworthy and Mkhwanazi as not, accusing the police chief of interfering in IPID’s investigations.

O’Sullivan hit back, denying Mkhwanazi’s allegations and instead calling for an inquiry into Mkhwanazi and his removal as provincial commissioner. O’Sullivan has refused to appear before the ad hoc committee or the Madlanga Commission, citing fears for his life following the allegations made against him by Mkhwanazi.

Despite this, Mkhwanazi insists O’Sullivan must be summoned before both inquiries to explain himself. “He has a case to answer and must appear before those asking questions,” he added.

Mkhwanazi welcomed the preliminary Madlanga Commission report but would not comment on the position of Mchunu, who is not implicated in the preliminary findings, which recommend criminal investigations against 14 police officials named in the inquiry.

“I respect whatever findings emerge from the inquiry and welcome them,” said Mkhwanazi, who confirmed he had not yet seen the report.

Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has emphasised that Mchunu’s fate will be decided only after he returns to the commission to respond to the allegations against him and once the inquiry is finalised.

Mchunu was suspended following Mkhwanazi’s bombshell allegations linking him to criminal syndicates. Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya was also suspended amid claims of interference in the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT). The lack of findings against both men in the preliminary report has drawn widespread criticism on social media.

Fiery ad hoc committee member and ActionSA MP Dereleen James weighed in with a post stating: “Please excuse me while I search for Sibiya and Mchunu’s names on [the] list of referrals for investigation.”

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