The South African government has denied allegations that KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi is protecting Zulu-speaking people and criminals. The allegations surfaced amid violent demonstrations in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, which followed protests calling for refugee centres to stop processing asylum applications. The protests were sparked by a July Constitutional Court ruling that removed procedural barriers to seeking asylum.
The government responded to the allegations through acting national police commissioner Prof Firoz Cachalia and Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni. Cachalia dismissed the claims of preferential treatment, stating that the police in KwaZulu-Natal did a commendable job in restoring stability to the province. He added that the police deployed necessary resources and took appropriate action during the protests.
According to Cachalia, thirty people have been arrested since Thursday in connection with public violence and alleged attempts to destabilise communities. Of those arrested, 25 were in KwaZulu-Natal and five in Gauteng. The offences included public violence, illegal gatherings, obstruction, and resisting arrest. Cachalia also referred to an incident in which three Ethiopian nationals were arrested after allegedly discharging firearms.
Cachalia condemned the firearms incident, questioning why the three men were armed and had discharged their weapons. He reiterated that police would take necessary action in Durban and elsewhere, including Kroonstad, in the Free State. Cachalia also warned foreign nationals, particularly those in the country illegally, to obey the law and refrain from taking matters into their own hands.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni also rejected allegations against Mkhwanazi, stating that he was no longer serving in his substantive position as KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner. Ntshavheni said Mkhwanazi was serving in an acting capacity as a lieutenant general responsible for organised crime nationally, while KwaZulu-Natal had an acting provincial commissioner.
Ntshavheni added that authorities were investigating allegations about funding and financial flows linked to activities that may have used the immigration issue and the Constitutional Court judgment to advance other agendas. The government would not comment further on the cases before the suspects appeared in court. Police would provide details of the charges and other intelligence operations at the appropriate time.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) has announced that it will approach the courts for a supervisory order to oversee the implementation of the ruling allowing undocumented immigrants to apply for asylum in South Africa. The IMC has also decided that no immigration directives should be issued without full consultation with the committee, as such decisions have implications for other departments and national security.
Key points
- The South African government has rejected allegations of protecting Zulu-speaking criminals amid protests over asylum applications.
- Thirty people have been arrested in connection with public violence and alleged attempts to destabilise communities in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
- The government will approach the courts for a supervisory order to oversee the implementation of the asylum ruling.
