The Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) has issued a sharp challenge to KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, demanding he table hard evidence to support his explosive claim that judges in Gauteng are colluding with drug syndicates.
In a pointed statement released on Thursday, the OCJ confirmed it had formally written to Mkhwanazi following his headline-grabbing media briefing on 6 July, where he alleged that elements within the judiciary were working hand-in-hand with criminals to undermine the justice system.
“The judiciary has noted with serious concern the recent remarks made by Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi during his briefing, during which he alleged collusion, amongst others, the judiciary and criminals,” the OCJ said.
The statement warns that such sweeping claims, if unsubstantiated, can severely damage public trust in South Africa’s courts – an institution already under strain amid growing perceptions of state capture and corruption elsewhere in government.
The OCJ emphasised that if Mkhwanazi possesses credible evidence implicating any judge or magistrate, he must immediately submit it to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) or the Magistrates Commission – the two statutory bodies empowered to investigate and take disciplinary steps against judicial officers.
“It is not enough to make public allegations. There are established channels to deal with any misconduct within the judiciary, and these must be used without delay,” the statement read.
Mkhwanazi’s allegations come at a time of heightened tensions between elements of law enforcement and the political establishment. In recent weeks, the commissioner has also accused senior politicians of sabotaging SAPS investigations into political killings in KwaZulu-Natal – allegations that have triggered calls for a full-scale parliamentary inquiry.
While some civic groups have praised Mkhwanazi for lifting the lid on alleged rot within powerful institutions, others say the gravity of his claims demands immediate proof.
Legal analysts warn that if the commissioner fails to produce compelling evidence, his credibility and that of the police could be severely undermined.
For now, the judiciary has reaffirmed its commitment to act decisively if wrongdoing is proven but insists it will not allow reputations to be tarnished without facts. The spotlight now shifts firmly back to Mkhwanazi as the nation waits to see whether he can back his words with the hard proof that could shake the country’s legal system to its core.
