“This Country Is Going to Burn,” Warns KZN Police Commissioner as He Exposes Deep Rot in Crime Intelligence

Cape Town — In a dramatic and unflinching testimony before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee on the South African Police Service (SAPS), KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi issued a chilling warning that “this country is going to burn” if the deep-seated corruption within Crime Intelligence is not urgently addressed.

Speaking before MPs on Monday, Mkhwanazi cautioned lawmakers about the sensitive nature of the information held by Crime Intelligence operatives. He revealed that some members possessed devices capable of eavesdropping on MPs, urging Parliament to handle intelligence matters with the utmost discretion.

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“The members of Crime Intelligence are going to be forced to defend themselves, and the only best way to defend themselves is to speak the truth. And when they come with the truth, the majority of you will not be able to stomach it,” Mkhwanazi warned.

The Commissioner called for a complete shutdown and restructuring of the entire Crime Intelligence division, recommending that all current personnel be replaced to root out corruption and political manipulation.

He accused certain Crime Intelligence officials of misusing slush funds to entrap senior government executives, and cited the unauthorized construction of high walls at former Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa’s rural home as an example of illicit operations used for leverage. He suggested that Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu might also have been targeted by the same internal machinations.

The hearing also delved into the controversial arrest of Crime Intelligence head Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo, which Mkhwanazi claimed was part of a political plot to halt investigations into powerful criminal syndicates.

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He warned MPs against leaking sensitive details to the media, cautioning that such actions could provoke him to release even more explosive evidence.

The revelations have reignited calls for comprehensive reform of Crime Intelligence, with analysts warning that unchecked corruption, political interference, and abuse of state resources could push South Africa toward an institutional crisis.