The National Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu said he did not lay any complaint against KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi for allegedly interfering with the arrest of a senior Correctional Services official.

Police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) released a statement on Sunday night saying the investigation pertained to an incident that took place in Richards Bay in 2023.

IPID has requested the Provincial Commissioner to submit a sworn statement by March 19, 2025.

In addition to news of the investigation, IPID said that it should be noted that the letter written to Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi, by IPID’s Acting Head of Investigations, that the Police Minister requested IPID to investigate the Provincial Commissioner, was erroneously written.

"This investigation is as a result of an anonymous complaint from the public."

Speaking on the developments, the police ministry said on Monday: “We welcome and fully endorse the statement issued by IPID on this matter.

"I do want to repeat that I have not laid any complaint against Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi.

"I do want to state however, that we need to intensify our efforts on effective and efficient law enforcement in the Republic of South Africa.

"The South African Police Service (SAPS) is hard at work all over the country – at Head Office and in the provinces."

He said Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi, like all the other Provincial Commissioners, is working hard in the fight against crime in KwaZulu-Natal, and that is duly recognised by the Ministry of Police.

"The Ministry supports all Provincial Commissioners in their efforts. At all material times, the Ministry of Police works to uphold the rule of law and will do everything to strengthen mechanisms to fight against crime. "

Mchunu said as an independent and impartial oversight body, IPID conducts its investigations without external influence, and its decisions regarding cases under its jurisdiction are made independently.”

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