The former head of South Africa’s police watchdog, Robert McBride, has made striking allegations against KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, including that he attempted to undermine an investigation into his former acting national boss Khomotso Phahlane. Robert McBride, who heads the State Security Agency’s Foreign Branch, has accused KwaZulu-Natal police boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi of trying to torpedo a critical police watchdog investigation. McBride was testifying on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, at Parliament’s ad hoc committee, and during these proceedings, he also alleged that Mkhwanazi understated his proximity to a murdered investigator.
The ad hoc committee is looking into accusations that Mkhwanazi initially made in July last year that a drug cartel has infiltrated South Africa’s criminal justice system, politics and private security. Mkhwanazi, in making those accusations, appeared to portray himself as something of a whistleblower exposing alleged corruption that extended to state structures, including the South African Police Service (SAPS). Now, McBride’s testimony to the ad hoc committee on Tuesday raises some questions around the KZN police commissioner.
He even said Mkhwanazi’s press conference last year, when the provincial commissioner first made accusations about cartel infiltration, was designed to intimidate. McBride’s testimony underscores the rifts between various senior state law enforcement figures. His previous positions include Ekurhuleni Metro Police chief and Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) head.
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Under McBride’s watch, Ipid investigated former acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane, who faces charges in a corruption case and has countered that he is the target of an ongoing smear campaign. Phahlane testified before the ad hoc committee last week and alleged that among those who targeted him were McBride and forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan. McBride on Tuesday described O’Sullivan as “eccentric, a little bit strange, but he does have good information”.
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