South African Police Chief Proposes Surveillance and Jail for Journalists

October 10, 2025 – South Africa

KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has called for lawmakers to empower the State Security Agency to surveil media outlets and for journalists deemed to spread “misinformation” to be jailed.

Mkhwanazi made these remarks during his testimony before a parliamentary committee investigating alleged “capture” of the criminal justice system. While he insisted he had “no issue with journalism as a profession,” he refused to withdraw his proposal. He also accused certain reporters of being “handled” by rogue elements within police intelligence, as part of a misinformation campaign.

In texts with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Mkhwanazi emphasized that those journalists he considers unethical should not only lose their jobs, but also face prison sentences. CPJ Africa Director Angela Quintal blasted the proposal as a grave threat to media freedom, warning that it echoed repressive tactics from South Africa’s apartheid era.

Publishers and editorial associations swiftly responded. The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) denounced Mkhwanazi’s calls, describing them as an attempt to intimidate the press and suppress critical journalism. News outlets that the commissioner had named also rejected his allegations, demanding evidence or retraction.

Observers note that this demand comes against a backdrop of increasing pressure on media in South Africa, including political interference, surveillance, and legal threats. Mkhwanazi’s remarks heighten fears that security institutions might seek to criminalize reporting under the guise of countering “misinformation.”

As the parliamentary inquiry progresses, the clash underscores a deeper paradox: policing that aims to protect trust in public institutions now appears to turn law enforcement against the very institutions—journalists—that can hold power accountable.

Reference – 

https://cpj.org/2025/10/top-south-african-cop-calls-for-spy-probe-into-media-jailing-of-journalists/