Matisonn: Mkhwanazi's whistle-blown year - SAPS rot exposed, but far from fixed

A year after General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's bombshell press conference, John Matisonn takes stock. The fallout has been seismic: Police Minister Senzo Mchunu suspended, dozens facing charges, and crime kingpin Cat Matlala reportedly poised to turn state's witness. The Madlanga Commission's latest revelations implicate General Feroz Kahn and his links to the Carnilinx cigarette empire — with two commission witnesses already shot. Yet Matisonn warns against complacency: political leaders still haven't explained their own failures, nor reined in Mkhwanazi's own overreach on press freedom. Paul O'Sullivan's compromise claims linger too. The rot was exposed — but not necessarily cured..By John Matisonn.In the year since KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi held his explosive media conference he has secured his place in our history.Thanks largely to Mkhwanazi, we know about a crime kingpin who seemed to have the top police brass on speed-dial, and more than a dozen are facing criminal charges. Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu is unlikely to return to duty.Revelations at the Madlanga Commission on Friday began a new chapter, disclosing the actions and political connections of the inordinately wealthy General Feroz Kahn, head of counter and security intelligence. The commission heard evidence about his links with the Carnilinx cigarette empire that has funded Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters, and whose founding shareholders included the apartheid killer Craig Williamson.He has showed us how deep the rot is and its threat to public safety. Two witnesses to the commission have been shot. One died, the other is in hospital fighting for his life. Thanks to the commission set up to investigate his claims, we have learnt about police involvement in the theft of piles of cocaine, abuse of the secret slush fund, and the twisting of the entire apparatus responsible for law and order.This accelerated events leading to the charges against crime kingpin Cat Matlala, who now seems on the point of turning state’s evidence against the police generals who facilitated his corruption. But there is no cause for complacency. There remain unanswered questions and evidence that political leaders have learnt the right lessons to prevent it happening again. We still don’t know why the police were unaware of the planning for the demonstrations in July 2021 that left more than 300 people dead in KwaZulu-Natal. After last week’s mostly successful police and military operation to contain the anti-migrant demonstrations, that failure looks even more stark. It showed that with the right intelligence and planning, violence can be minimised and lives saved.The political leadership should have picked up the rot at the top of the police and acted. Mkhwanazi’s actions appear to have proved very necessary because they did not. That it should have needed a police general to act so unorthodoxly to get the message out is an indictment of the people in charge in government. Government by commission is a sign of political failure. Political leadership should ensure the criminal justice system is working, and that it stays within the bounds of the constitution. Political oversight should have provided the leadership when Mkhwanazi called for journalists to be investigated and imprisoned for publishing so-called "misinformation". Critics and advocacy groups condemned these statements as unconstitutional and a direct threat to media freedom. Mkhwanazi’s language, saying “blood will flow” over a conflict with the Investigative Directorate Against Corruption raise concern.He may have a case that some constraints on police in apprehending criminals need to be relaxed, but those decisions need to be led by political leaders and examined in parliament within the confines of the constitution..Read more:.SA’s police at a crossroads: Politics, crime, and the fight for reform.Forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan has claimed Mkhwanazi was himself already compromised, and he should have disclosed this at the time of his media conference. He may be right. But whether he is or not, there can be little doubt that it was valuable that he blew the whistle.We do not yet have any reason to believe it won’t happen again..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox every morning on weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa's bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here.

Matisonn: Mkhwanazi's whistle-blown year - SAPS rot exposed, but far from fixed

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