Cabinet to decide on Mkhwanazi as next Hawks head, says Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that Cabinet will consider the proposal to make KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi the national head of the Hawks. According to IOL, a final decision will be announced only once that process is complete.

Asked about the matter on Monday while meeting Premier Soccer League officials in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa said Mkhwanazi’s name had been submitted and would go before Cabinet. He described the announcement as part of a Cabinet process. He also pushed back on questions about what ministers might decide, noting that the executive does not reveal its decisions in advance: “we only disclose afterwards”.

How the nomination reached Cabinet

IOL reported that the proposal follows a formal memorandum sent to Cabinet by Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia. The document asks ministers to approve Mkhwanazi for the Hawks leadership post.

The Hawks is the police’s specialised unit for serious organised crime and corruption, so the appointment of its head is closely watched.

Background to the nomination

Mkhwanazi became a national figure on 6 July 2025, when he made public allegations about the police service. He claimed that senior police figures and the then Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu, had meddled in sensitive investigations and tried to shut down the Political Killings Task Team. He further claimed that criminal networks had reached into key institutions, naming politicians and officials across the criminal justice system.

IOL stressed that these claims are still under investigation and should not be treated as established findings.

After the allegations, Ramaphosa put Mchunu on special leave and appointed the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. Parliament also formed an ad hoc committee to look into the matter.

What happens next

For now, nothing is final. Mkhwanazi has been proposed, but he has not been appointed. The Presidency has not said when Cabinet will make its decision. Ramaphosa indicated that the outcome will be made public only after ministers have decided.

• Cabinet must first consider the memorandum from the Acting Police Minister.
• An announcement will follow only once a decision has been taken.
• The investigations into Mkhwanazi’s earlier allegations are continuing.

This story is based on reporting by IOL.