Speaking after being named Newsmaker of the Year 2025, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi warned against corruption, incompetence and criminality, saying South Africa needs principled leadership and accountability.
Kwazulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi says South Africa cannot continue to normalise corruption, protect incompetence or romanticise criminality, warning that the country is at a crossroads where institutions risk fearing the truth more than criminality.
Speaking at the National Press Club on Friday in Pretoria after being named Newsmaker of the Year 2025, Mkhwanazi said the recognition should not be mistaken for a popularity exercise, insisting that his actions had been guided by duty and his oath as a police officer.
Accepting the award, Mkhwanazi said police work was not performed for applause, headlines or awards, but for the people of South Africa.
“As a disciplined member of the South African Police Service, I took an oath many years ago; an oath to uphold the Constitution, protect the citizens of this country and defend the rule of law without fear or favour,” he said.
