DURBAN – Members of the MK Party in KwaZulu-Natal have vowed to unleash unrest if provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi faces any reprisals for claims he made about alleged criminal syndicates operating within law enforcement structures.
On Monday, the party’s military veterans led a march to the provincial police headquarters, pledging support for Mkhwanazi, who last week publicly accused senior figures, including Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, of being linked to corrupt networks.
The matter is now the subject of a formal commission of inquiry, but the MK Party maintains that Mkhwanazi must not be punished for speaking out. “We will rise and mobilise the community… We are many, more than the police officers. They can’t control us all,” said the party’s KwaZulu-Natal coordinator Lwazi Mzobe during the demonstration.
In response, provincial police said Mkhwanazi welcomed the public support but urged protestors to maintain peace. “There has been peace since the demonstrations started. General Mkhwanazi appreciates the support he is receiving from the people of KwaZulu-Natal,” said Major General Phumelele Makoba, Deputy Commissioner for Policing in the province.
Meanwhile, MK Party members in Gauteng held a similar march in Johannesburg, warning that they are prepared to bring the province to a halt if authorities proceed with action against Mkhwanazi. The group handed over a memorandum to the John Vorster police station demanding the arrest of Mchunu.
Spokesperson Abel Tau confirmed that the party would stage a final march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Friday. “We believe we will bring Gauteng to a standstill,” he said, warning that government inaction will no longer be tolerated.
A third march is planned for Cape Town on Tuesday.
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