KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi received a standing ovation and was applauded when Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli deviated from his speech to talk about crime under Mkhwanazi’s leadership. 

Ntuli was speaking at the 2025 KwaZulu-Natal Investment Conference in Durban on Wednesday. The conference was held under the theme “Building a resilient, inclusive and globally competitive KwaZulu-Natal”.

Mkhwanazi recently appeared at the Madlanga Commission and Parliament’s ad hoc committee- both inquiries were established to investigate statements Mkhwanazi made in July about criminal syndicates infiltrating law enforcement and intelligence and political interference in the criminal justice system. 

Ntuli said that investment is enabled by stability and a proactive approach to combating crime.

“I commend the work of our police under the leadership of Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who is with us today,” Ntuli said. 

“They are doing good work. I think they deserve a round of applause.” 

Ntuli then invited Mkhwanazi to the stage so the delegates could see him. 

While Mkhwanazi made his way to the stage, some delegates gave him a standing ovation with some cheering and whistling. 

“The leadership of our provincial commissioner is an assurance of a safer KwaZulu-Natal,” Ntuli said. 

Jokingly, Ntuli said he was worried Mkhwanazi was becoming more popular than him at any event in the province. 

“Thank you very much, provincial commissioner, and send our message to all the men and women in blue, all the South African Police Service members, that we see the work they do in the province and we support them,” Ntuli said. 

“We want to walk the journey with them, so that investors and businesses will flourish in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.” 

It was not the first time Ntuli praised the work Mkhwanazi was doing in fighting crime in the province and country. 

Earlier this month, while speaking during the commemoration of the International Day of Older Persons in the Umdoni Local Municipality, Ntuli emphasised the urgent need to tackle crime and corruption. 

He said they are doing everything to work with the police and to work with Mkhwanazi. 

“We are working with Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to fix our country, to fix our province,” Ntuli said at the time. 

Ntuli said that crime and corruption deter investors from a country.

thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za

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