If not for KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s explosive July press briefing held in Durban, it would have been difficult to pick the provincial politics story of the year, given that there were a number of prominent and, at times, depressing ones. Mkhwanazi’s unprecedented public allegations about political interference in policing struck at the heart of governance across the entire country. Mkhwanazi’s claims reignited long-standing concerns about the nexus between politics, crime and law enforcement in the country.
The briefing not only dominated national headlines, but also reinforced the perception of a country grappling with the consequences of organised crime and weakened state institutions. Politically, KZN continued to navigate the complexities of coalition governance following the formation of the government of provincial unity (GPU) in June last year. Comprising the IFP, ANC, DA and NFP, the GPU survived several tests of cohesion.
However, despite ideological differences, the coalition demonstrated a degree of maturity by prioritising stability over political point-scoring — a notable shift in a province historically prone to sharp political contestation. The MK Party, however, emerged as a persistent disruptor. With a sizeable bloc in the KZN Legislature, the party used both parliamentary and public platforms to challenge the legitimacy and durability of the GPU. On December 15, during the KZN Legislature debate on the MK Party’s motion of no confidence against Premier Thami Ntuli, former president Jacob Zuma’s party took its contempt of the GPU to another level.
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