Masemola: Mkhwanazi a man of principle who challenged discrimination in SAPS
South African Police Service National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Fannie Masemola has described KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi as a principled officer who consistently stood up to discrimination within the SAPS, and who had no political ambitions.
Masemola was testifying before Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating systemic corruption within SAPS on Thursday, following explosive testimony in July by Mkhwanazi, who alleged deep-rooted political interference in police operations.
Chief evidence leader, Advocate Norman Arendse SC, questioned Masemola about his longstanding relationship with Mkhwanazi, which dates back more than two decades to their time in KwaZulu-Natal.
Masemola said he first encountered Mkhwanazi around 2000 or 2001, when he was a commander of the Public Order Police in Durban. At the time, Mkhwanazi was a young police officer who had arrived for Special Task Force selection.
According to Masemola, Mkhwanazi entered his office unannounced to complain about being unfairly failed during the selection process. He alleged that he and another black candidate had met the physical requirements but were marked down, while white candidates with slower times were passed.
Masemola said he investigated the issue and found merit in the complaint.
“I did find that, yeah, indeed, there is a problem in terms of how they made some pass and some fail,” he told the committee. Masemola said the irregularities were corrected, and Mkhwanazi was allowed to proceed with training.
Later, Mkhwanazi raised further concerns about racial discrimination within the Special Task Force, saying black officers were being marginalised.
Masemola said he encouraged Mkhwanazi to stay the course and raised the matter with leadership in Pretoria. “There is a beginning for everything. You don’t run away. You stay there,” he recalled telling him.
Masemola said Mkhwanazi eventually rose through the ranks, becoming Special Task Force commander in Pretoria. “He flew on his own. That’s how I know him,” he said.
Arendse asked, “So you gave him wings?” Masemola agreed, saying: “Yeah. It wasn’t easy.”
He confirmed that Mkhwanazi was someone who spoke up when he felt he was being treated unfairly. “That’s how I know him,” he said, adding that former Police Minister Bheki Cele had also described Mkhwanazi as a “top cop”.
Masemola dismissed claims that Mkhwanazi was vying for the top job at the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), saying it would not make sense financially.
He explained that the post would come with a lower salary notch than Mkhwanazi’s current package, given his seniority and years at the rank of Lieutenant General.
“Practically, he can’t apply for a post where his salary will take a dip,” Masemola said.
Reflecting on Mkhwanazi’s surprise appointment in 2011 as acting National Commissioner, Masemola said it caused confusion within the ranks. At the time, Mkhwanazi was still a relatively junior Major General, and Masemola himself was a Deputy National Commissioner.
“It was quite surprising. There were Deputy National Commissioners. You go and take a Major General and he wasn’t long a Major General for that matter,” he said.
Mkhwanazi had to be promoted to Lieutenant General so that he would be equal in rank to the deputies reporting to him.
Despite his inexperience, Masemola said Mkhwanazi adapted quickly. “He did work with the deputies well. He learned fast. He did his best, I think,” he said.
Asked why Mkhwanazi stepped down from the acting commissioner role less than a year later, Masemola said it was due to political interference.
“He told us that the way he was asked or the way he was treated by the then Minister, he didn’t like it. So he said they would rather part ways so that he could go back where he was,” Masemola said.
Arendse noted that Mkhwanazi had alleged ministerial interference and asked if he was a man of principle. Masemola replied, “Yeah, no, that’s how I understood him at that time. And now. He differed on that, and he walked away.”
Masemola also confirmed that Mkhwanazi had no interest in politics, saying, “He’s just a cop to his work. That is it.”
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
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