Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has called for KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to be summoned to Parliament to account for his handling of policing matters in the province.Speaking during a media briefing on Friday, Malema said Mkhwanazi could not be shielded from scrutiny while Parliament interrogates Police Minister Bheki Cele and other senior officials. According to Malema, Mkhwanazi “is the one who started this mess” and therefore must explain himself before lawmakers.
The EFF leader was referring to the growing tensions between Mkhwanazi and Cele, which have spilled into the public domain over the years. Their fractured relationship has raised questions about police leadership stability in the province, particularly in light of recent crime surges.
“Mkhwanazi has been pointing fingers, but he must also be prepared to sit before Parliament and answer hard questions. You cannot create a crisis and then act like you are innocent,” Malema charged.
His remarks come after Cele appeared before Parliament’s police portfolio committee earlier this week, where MPs grilled him on failures within the South African Police Service (SAPS). Some committee members suggested that both Cele and Mkhwanazi bear responsibility for the strained leadership environment that undermines effective policing.
Malema’s intervention signals a shift in political focus towards the provincial commissioner, who has often been seen as a vocal critic of Cele’s management style. While the two men have clashed publicly, Malema insisted that accountability must cut across the board.
“Parliament cannot be selective. If we are serious about getting to the bottom of SAPS dysfunction, then all those involved must appear. Mkhwanazi is not above the law,” Malema added.
Political analysts say Malema’s demand highlights the broader governance issues within the police service, where infighting at senior levels has compromised crime-fighting efforts. KwaZulu-Natal, one of the provinces hardest hit by violent crime, has become a focal point in the debate over leadership failures in the SAPS.
Parliament’s police committee is expected to deliberate on whether to extend its inquiry to include Mkhwanazi. Opposition parties, including the Democratic Alliance (DA), have also previously called for a wider probe into SAPS leadership conflicts, arguing that the ongoing discord weakens public trust.
For now, the decision lies with Parliament, but Malema has made it clear that the EFF will continue pushing until Mkhwanazi is summoned. “This is about accountability. If we are going to clean up policing, we must start at the top,” he concluded.