Ramaphosa Confirms Cabinet to Decide on Mkhwanazi’s Move to Hawks, Reshaping KZN Top Police Post

President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that the proposed appointment of KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to lead the national Hawks is now before Cabinet, a decision that would vacate the province’s most senior policing role and elevate a vocal critic of criminal infiltration to head South Africa’s elite investigative unit.

Speaking to media in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa stated that Mkhwanazi’s name had been formally submitted for consideration following a recommendation by Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia. “The name of General Mkhwanazi has been put forward; it will go to Cabinet, Cabinet will be meeting, and when Cabinet has decided, the announcement will be made,” Ramaphosa said, emphasizing that the process remains strictly confidential until a formal resolution is reached . The move follows a formal Cabinet memorandum seeking concurrence for Mkhwanazi to take over the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), a position left vacant since the retirement of Godfrey Lebeya in May 2025 .

Mkhwanazi’s potential departure from KwaZulu-Natal comes after a tumultuous period in which he gained national prominence for exposing alleged criminal networks embedded within law enforcement and political interference in sensitive investigations. His July 2025 briefing triggered parliamentary probes and the establishment of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, positioning him as a central figure in the push for police accountability . While the Hawks role would place him at the helm of specialized investigations into organized crime and corruption, the vacancy he would leave in KZN has raised immediate questions about who will assume command of the province’s policing operations during a critical period .

The proposed appointment has ignited a broader debate over the optimal deployment of Mkhwanazi’s expertise, with some experts arguing he should instead be earmarked for the national police commissioner post when General Fannie Masemola’s term ends in March 2027. Parliamentary oversight chairperson Ian Cameron noted that while Mkhwanazi possesses substantial operational experience, the Hawks face a severe staffing crisis with over 2,500 vacant posts, including roughly 1,500 investigator positions . Scopa chairperson Songezo Zibi warned that without an additional R1 billion for investigations, even the most capable leader would be “set up to fail” given the unit’s 50% vacancy rate and lack of forensic and cyber capacity .

Security strategist Andy Mashaile argued that appointing Mkhwanazi to the Hawks could ultimately limit his impact, describing the DPCI as a “limited institution” that reports to the national commissioner. “When you give Mkhwanazi that responsibility, you hamstring his energy, his expertise and his skill set,” Mashaile said, advocating instead for his elevation to the top SAPS post . The timing of the decision also intersects with the Madlanga Commission’s ongoing work, as Mkhwanazi is expected to testify further, and any Cabinet approval would thrust him into a role where he would inherit the very investigative machinery tasked with probing the allegations he helped surface .

For now, Mkhwanazi continues to serve as KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial commissioner while awaiting Cabinet’s final determination. Should the appointment be approved, Ramaphosa’s administration will need to move swiftly to identify a successor in KZN, a province grappling with entrenched criminal networks and political violence. The decision carries significant implications not only for the Hawks’ operational effectiveness but also for the broader trajectory of police leadership reform under the government’s stated “Police Reset Agenda,” with observers watching closely to see whether the appointment is accompanied by the resources and structural support necessary to translate public trust into tangible investigative outcomes .

Source https://x.com/ZANewsFlash/status/2117475295066263668