A Timeline of Events From General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s Press Briefing to the Commission of Inquiry
- KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's explosive press briefing on 6 July 2025 set off a chain of events that culminated in a Commission of Inquiry
- Mkhwanazi implicated top-ranking police officials and politicians in a wide-reaching criminal syndicate, which allegedly infiltrated the criminal justice system
- Briefly News provides a timeline of the events that led to President Cyril Ramaphosa establishing the Commission of Inquiry
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With 10 years’ experience, Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, provided insights into the criminal justice system, crime statistics, commissions of inquiry, and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- 6 July: Mkhwanazi's press briefing
- 6 July: Mchunu and Sibiya respond
- 8 July: Security tight at Mkhwanazi's house
- 9 July 2025: Parliament takes action
- 10 July: DA lays charges
- 13 July: Ramaphosa takes action
- 15 July: Sibiya placed on leave
- 23 July: Ad Hoc Committee supported
- 28 August: Political Killings dockets returned
- Firoz Cachalia sworn in
PRETORIA, GAUTENG — The attention of South Africans is fixed squarely on the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry at the Brigitte Mabundla Justice College in Tshwane, which began its public hearings on 17 September 2025.
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi kicked off the testimony as the first and arguably most important witness. But how did it all unfold? Briefly News presents a timeline of the windfall caused by Mkhwanazi's explosive press briefing.
6 July: Mkhwanazi's press briefing
Mkhwanazi, accompanied by members of the Political Killings Task Force, held a press briefing on 6 July in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Mkhwanazi implicated suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu and suspended Deputy National Commissioner General Shadrack Sibiya in a criminal syndicate that allegedly infiltrated the criminal justice system.
The syndicate reportedly recruited police officers, politicians, parliamentarians, business people, judges, and prosecutors, among others. Mkhwanazi also accused Mchunu of colluding with Sibiya to shut down the Political Killings Task Team. He linked Mchunu to businessman Brown Mogotsi, whom he accused of having access to sensitive South African Police Service intel.
6 July: Mchunu and Sibiya respond
Mchunu and Sibiya did not waste time in hitting back against Mkhwanazi. They responded to the allegations and flatly denied them. Sibiya denied the allegations levelled against him and told Mkhwanazi to stop challenging Mchunu and allegedly making threats.
Mchunu rejected the allegations Mkhwanazi made. He said that the statements required an urgent investigation on a proper platform.
8 July: Security tight at Mkhwanazi's house
The security tightened outside of Mkhwanazi's house in Durban. A resident spoke on 8 July and said that he witnessed an increasing number of police officers protecting Mkhwanazi. National Commissioner Fannie Masemola later confirmed that Mkhwanazi's security was increased in light of the allegations he made.
9 July 2025: Parliament takes action
The Speaker of Parliament, Thoko Didiza, directed three Committees to act on Mkhwaanzi's allegations on 9 July. She said that the Portfolio Committees on Police, Justice, and Constitutional Development and the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence should look into the allegations.
10 July: DA lays charges
The Democratic Alliance (DA) opened a case against Mchunu. The party accused him of lying in Parliament when interrogated about his ties to Mpogotsi. Mchun had initially claimed that he did not know who Mogotsi was.
However, Mchunu admitted that he knew Mogotsi and said that Mogotsi was a comrade. He denied receiving money from Mogotsi.
13 July: Ramaphosa takes action
President Cyril Ramaphosa placed Mchunu on special leave and established the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry during a national address on 13 July 2025. Ramaphosa also announced that Firoz Cachalia would replace Mchunu as the police minister.
Source: Getty Images
15 July: Sibiya placed on leave
Masemola also took action against Sibiya. Sibiya met with Deputy National Police Commissioner General Tebello Mosikili, who required that he stay at home. Masemola confirmed that Sibiya was placed on special leave.
23 July: Ad Hoc Committee supported
The Portfolio committees on Police and Justice and Constitutional Development agreed that an Ad Hoc Committee be established to investigate Mkhwanazi's allegations. The committees met on 23 July, and political parties agreed that Mkhewanazi should appear before the Committee to testify.
28 August: Political Killings dockets returned
A little over a month later, Masemola announced that the 121 dockets that Sibiya removed from the Political Killings Task Team were returned to the Task Team. Masemola also said that the Task Team would be established in Gauteng and be equipped with more police officers.
Firoz Cachalia sworn in
In a related article, Briefly News reported that Firoz Cachalia was sworn in on 1 August. This was after Mchunu was placed on special leave following the allegations Mkhwaanzi made against him.
Cachalia said that he would meet with Maemola to discuss the needs of the police force. He added that he would do his job without fear or favour and was not appointed for political ambition.
Source: Briefly News
