a bombshell revelation shaking KwaZulu-Natal’s security landscape, prominent security firm executive Thabo Mthembu has accused KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi of orchestrating an assassination plot against him, alongside ongoing harassment. Mthembu, CEO of Elite Guard Services, lodged a formal complaint with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) on Monday, claiming the threats stem from his firm’s lucrative contracts with provincial government entities.
Speaking exclusively to reporters outside the IPID offices in Durban, Mthembu detailed a chilling timeline. “It started with anonymous calls warning me to back off police-protected tenders,” he said. “Then came the tails—unmarked vehicles shadowing my family. Last week, I received a direct threat: ‘Step down or meet your end.’ This is Mkhwanazi’s vendetta because we won’t play ball with corrupt dealings.”
Mthembu alleges the harassment escalated after his company exposed irregularities in a R50 million security tender awarded to a firm linked to police insiders. He claims intercepted messages and dashcam footage show SAPS vehicles staking out his Pietermaritzburg home.
Commissioner Mkhwanazi dismissed the accusations as “baseless smears” during a press briefing. “We protect the public, not plot against businessmen. This is a desperate bid to discredit our anti-corruption drive,” he retorted, vowing a full IPID probe.
The feud highlights deepening rifts in KZN’s security sector, amid rising contract wars and political maneuvering ahead of local elections. Civil society groups like Corruption Watch have called for transparency, urging swift investigation.
As tensions simmer, Mthembu has bolstered his personal security and appealed to national SAPS leadership. “Justice must prevail,” he urged. “No one is above the law—not even a police chief.”