KZN Police Commissioner Calls for Mandatory Lifestyle Audits for Senior SAPS Officers

Lt Gen Mkhwanazi Pushes for Accountability and Independent Oversight in SAPS

KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has called for mandatory lifestyle audits for all senior police officers, saying the measure is vital to curb corruption and restore accountability in the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Speaking before the Ad Hoc Committee on the Police Service, Mkhwanazi urged Members of Parliament (MPs) to legislate that lifestyle audits for police management be conducted by an independent body — not the SAPS itself.

“Once you become a brigadier and above, there must be a lifestyle audit conducted on all of us. And it must not be done by the police,”
Mkhwanazi told the committee, stressing that the reports should be submitted directly to the Portfolio Committee on Police and elevated to Parliament.

Other news: Fikile Mbalula Takes Legal Action Against Brian Mogotsi Over Defamation Claims

"Police Employment Shouldn’t Be a Lifetime Guarantee"

Mkhwanazi criticised the current employment conditions in SAPS, describing them as too relaxed and lacking performance accountability.

“Employment in the police cannot be a permanent thing where you work until you retire at 60, whether you deliver or not. We need to review that,”
he said.

He added that lifestyle audits would help expose inconsistencies between officers’ earnings and their visible wealth, such as luxury cars and property acquisitions — raising critical questions about the sources of police income.

Vetting and Security Clearance Under Scrutiny

The Commissioner also raised concern over the vetting and security clearance process within SAPS, pointing to irregularities and manipulation in how top-secret clearances are granted.

“Many of us don’t even have those security clearance certificates,” he admitted, noting that the current system lacks clear classification of who genuinely needs access to top-secret information.

Mkhwanazi suggested that the vetting process be done prior to employment and be repeated periodically to reduce corruption risks. He praised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) for its robust vetting procedures and recommended SAPS adopt a similar approach.

Call for Legislative Reform

He further urged Parliament to review the employment conditions of police officers and to consider amending the legislation to include consistent vetting and accountability standards across the service.

“There’s manipulation in the police. We can learn from the SIU, which vets its members regularly. We must adopt the same risk management standards,”
said Mkhwanazi.

READ: EFF and MK Party Demand Original Statement from General Mkhwanazi as Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee Faces Tensions |

A Step Toward Cleaning Up SAPS

Mkhwanazi’s bold call comes amid growing public concern over corruption, misconduct, and a lack of accountability within SAPS. His proposal for independent lifestyle audits could mark a significant shift in how transparency and ethics are enforced across senior police ranks.

If adopted by Parliament, these measures would represent one of the most decisive steps yet toward cleaning up the country’s law enforcement agencies and restoring public trust in the police.