SA needs principled leaders, not heroes, says 2025 Newsmaker of the Year Mkhwanazi

Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi

Durban – KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has used his acceptance speech after being named Newsmaker of the Year to call for greater accountability, ethical leadership and sweeping institutional reform across South Africa.

Speaking at the National Press Club Newsmaker of the Year awards ceremony, Mkhwanazi said he accepted the recognition with humility but stressed that policing was not about awards, publicity or personal recognition.

“The work of a police officer is not performed for headlines or recognition. It is performed for the people of South Africa,” he said.

Mkhwanazi said he remained guided by the oath he took to uphold the Constitution, protect citizens and defend the rule of law without fear or favour.

Referring to his widely publicised media briefing on 6 July 2025, the provincial commissioner said his remarks at the time were never intended to launch a campaign or boost his public profile.

Instead, he described the briefing as an act of duty, conscience and patriotism arising from his responsibilities as KwaZulu-Natal’s top police officer.

Mkhwanazi warned that South Africa was facing a critical moment, arguing that institutions had become increasingly willing to tolerate corruption, incompetence and criminality.

He said communities were continuing to suffer from organised crime, extortion and declining trust in public institutions while failed leadership was often shielded from accountability.

“When institutions fear the truth more than they fear criminality, society enters dangerous territory,” he said.

Calling for what he described as a national “spring cleaning”, Mkhwanazi said reform should extend beyond a handful of individuals or sectors and include government departments, municipalities, law enforcement agencies, the private sector and the media.

“No institution should be exempt from scrutiny,” he said.

The commissioner argued that patriotism should be measured through accountability and ethical leadership rather than slogans or public declarations, adding that South Africa needed principled individuals committed to performing their duties honestly, regardless of whether they received public recognition.

Accepting the award, Mkhwanazi said it should not be interpreted as evidence that the country’s challenges had been resolved.

Instead, he said the recognition highlighted the need for renewed efforts to rebuild trust, strengthen institutions and restore integrity across society.

He said any meaningful national renewal would require participation from political leaders, law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, business, civil society and the media, with all sectors held to the same standards of accountability.

Mkhwanazi dedicated the award to members of the South African Police Service who continue to serve with integrity despite difficult and often dangerous working conditions.

He paid tribute to police officers who leave their homes each day uncertain whether they will return, detectives who work long hours to secure convictions, and members who continue serving despite intimidation, limited resources and public criticism.

“This recognition belongs to them,” he said, referring to police officers who continue to uphold the values of service, integrity and justice.

In closing, Mkhwanazi said history would judge leaders not by the positions they held or the awards they received, but by whether they defended the truth, protected vulnerable citizens and placed the future of South Africa above personal interests.

“May we all find the courage to do so,” he said.

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

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