KZN Premier Ntuli addresses gender-based violence allegations in his office
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli has defended his office against allegations that it failed to act on an incident of gender-based violence (GBV) that occurred within the Premier’s office. In a statement, the Premier asserted that his office has been at the forefront of the fight against gender-based violence.
Dr Nonhlanhla Mkhize, the former Director-General of the province, recently resigned after being subjected to threatening behaviour by a male staff member in the Premier’s office. This past weekend, a letter detailing the incident from Dr Mkhize’s perspective surfaced online, where the alleged GBV was described.
In the statement from his office, Premier Ntuli detailed the events surrounding the matter. He said that upon receiving Dr Mkhize’s letter of resignation on the afternoon of June 4, 2025, he only formally handed over the acceptance of the resignation on June 9, 2025.
It said the former DG received the acceptance letter with no plea for withdrawal. She then presented a document giving her side of the story on the altercations as reported by the line manager of the other official involved in the matter.
The Premier’s statement stated that an investigation into the incident was already underway by June 5 as the incident had been flagged by other senior officials. As part of the investigation, the Office of the Premier has requested footage of the incident since there are cameras in the building.
“To set the record straight, the Premier was made aware of a workplace altercation involving the DG and a senior subordinate not by Dr Mkhize herself, but by the acting Deputy Director-General (Stakeholder Management). At the time the Premier was informed of the altercation, Dr Mkhize had already submitted a formal resignation, which, it must be emphasised, did not include any reasons for her decision to resign.
“The resignation letter was presented without reference to the incident or any accompanying documentation. Unfortunately, the manner in which the resignation was submitted limited the space for engagement, as it was sent through the official from her office, not hand-delivered by herself,” said the statement.
In the statement, the Premier expressed his deep disheartenment at the suggestion that the Office of the Premier is not supportive of women or dismissive of gender-based violence concerns, calling these claims baseless and misleading. “Premier Ntuli has been a leading voice in KwaZulu-Natal’s fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). He has personally attended funerals of GBVF victims, supported affected families in court proceedings, and consistently used public platforms to advocate for the safety, dignity, and protection of women and children,” the statement read.
The statement also said that should its internal investigation be deemed insufficient or unsatisfactory, the Premier acknowledged the rights of both the former Director-General and others to refer the matter to appropriate authorities, including the South African Police Service, as the allegations of gender-based violence are of a serious nature.
Both parties are encouraged to cooperate fully with the internal investigation to ensure the matter is thoroughly and fairly addressed, it said.
“We reaffirm our commitment to transparency, justice, and dignity for all employees — and to creating a workplace culture that protects the rights of all who serve the people of KwaZulu-Natal,” concluded the statement.