‘Mkhwanazi faced discrimination in SAPS’: Masemola tells committee of past support for KZN top cop

In a light-hearted moment at parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations of corruption in the criminal justice system made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola shared details about how he met Mkhwanazi.

Masemola made his first appearance before the committee on Thursday, a day after Mkhwanazi testified.

Evidence leader Norman Arendse SC asked Masemola to take the committee through his relationship with Mkhwanazi and how they met.

“I knew him as a police official in the organisation many years ago. He was a youngster in KwaZulu-Natal,” he said.

Masemola said he met him in about 2000 and 2001 when Mkhwanazi underwent a selection process to join the SAPS tactical unit, the Special Task Force, where he was at the time. Mkhwanazi approached him to complain about the discrimination he faced regarding the selection process.

“At some point the instructors cheated them in points for selection. He walked into my office and said he couldn’t tolerate what was happening. I asked who he was, and he explained he and the other two were robbed and cheated, while the other two white guys behind them were passed. I went to see the instructor and found there was a problem regarding how others passed, and they fixed it.”

Masemola said the discrimination did not end there, but he always defended him and encouraged him to be strong when he felt like giving up.

“Then he came back to my office and explained about white people oppressing them. I engaged the special commander about the conditions, and he stayed there for some time. Then he was appointed as captain for the same unit and then moved to other ranks.

“At some point he said he was tired of discrimination. Those challenges came and I’d address them. He eventually flew on his own.”

Mkhwanazi joined the SAPS at a young age. He was appointed head of the Special Task Force in about 2005, then component head. In 2011 he briefly served as acting national police commissioner and was appointed KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner in 2018.

Affectionately known as “the general” by his supporters, Mkhwanazi’s popularity increased when he held a media briefing on July 6, exposing alleged criminal infiltration in the police. The allegations are being investigated by parliament and the Madlanga commission of inquiry.

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