Malema’s biggest Nightmare: Nhlanhla Sibusiso Mkhwanazi, EFF Finances Under Spotlight

Malema’s Biggest Nightmare: Nhlanhla Sibusiso Mkhwanazi, Giving EFF Leader Sleepless Nights

Johannesburg, September 8, 2025 (Breaking News) In a searing volley that has sent tremors through South Africa’s political corridors, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has accused KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi of “creating a mess” within the South African Police Service triggering a high-stakes showdown between the revolutionary populist and the embattled law enforcement icon.

At the heart of this escalating drama are Mkhwanazi’s explosive July 6 press briefing, during which he unveiled damning allegations of deep-rooted corruption, political interference, and collusion with criminal syndicates within the SAPS claims now under parliamentary scrutiny in an ad hoc committee plus a separate Judicial Commission of Inquiry.

Malema, who initially hailed Mkhwanazi as a “hero” and offered him a berth in the EFF if he were removed from office, now lambasts him for precipitating “chaos” instead of following due process. The ad hoc committee’s legal advisor previously downplayed Mkhwanazi’s statements as lacking formal evidentiary status remarks Malema vehemently denounced as “dismissive”.

Compounding the controversy are swirling rumors linking Malema’s wife, Mantwa Matlala even sharing the same surname as controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala to the latter’s security firm, CAT VIP Protection. Malema has forcefully rejected the allegations, calling them “petty gossip,” declaring, “He must rot in jail… I don’t know him… I’ve never had anything to do with him”.

Meanwhile, Matlala himself stands accused of orchestrating a R360 million SAPS health services tender, interfering with police operations, and maintaining ties to political bosses claims that escalate the stakes of the entire confrontation.

Context & Stakes:

• Power Play Intensifies: As the ad hoc parliamentary committee and parallel Commission of Inquiry converge on uncovering the truth, Malema’s transformation of Mkhwanazi from champion to adversary underscores the escalating political positioning.

• Reputation Under Fire: Malema’s sharp repudiation of any connection to Matlala signals a desperate move to guard both personal and political integrity.

• Royal Rumble in Law Enforcement: With allegations ranging from tender fraud to interference in forensic task forces, the SAPS is laid bare in a showdown that will define its future credibility.