Social media personality and anti-immigration activist Nkosikhona “Phakelumthakathi” Ndabandaba has announced plans to compile a comprehensive list of corrupt police officers allegedly involved in the drug trade across Richards Bay, Stanger, Durban, and other parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
Ndabandaba, who leads the Insizwa Ngobunsizwa Development Foundation and has emerged as a prominent figure in recent anti-immigration protests , made the announcement during a public address. He indicated that the list would be made available to relevant authorities and the public once compiled, without providing a specific timeline for its release.
The activist’s declaration follows months of heightened public scrutiny of police conduct in KwaZulu-Natal. During testimony before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in September 2025, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi claimed that senior police officials were protecting drug syndicates and that certain media figures were being used to push narratives favourable to these criminal networks. Mkhwanazi further alleged that the Presidency had interfered in policing matters to benefit Richards Bay Minerals, a major mining company in the region.
Richards Bay has long been identified as a hotspot for organised crime. The mining giant’s substantial economic footprint, estimated at R8 billion annually, has attracted criminal syndicates engaged in extortion, murder, and large-scale theft. At least 18 lives have been claimed in the area as rival groups have fought for control over lucrative criminal enterprises.
Earlier incidents of police corruption in the region have been documented. In 2018, two Rapid Rail Police Unit officers were convicted in the Richards Bay Magistrates Court for demanding bribes from Tanzanian nationals.
Ndabandaba’s announcement comes as his activism has drawn attention from government. The Department of Land Reform and Rural Development recently confirmed it was pursuing legal action against him for what it described as “false and defamatory allegations” made against Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso.
Meanwhile, the South African Police Service has been conducting operations targeting clandestine drug laboratories. Since August 2024, several labs have been dismantled, including a R2 billion drug lab in Groblersdal and a R100 million lab in Tshwane. Police have noted that the majority of those arrested in such operations are foreign nationals without proper documentation.