KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi will be honoured as the 2025 Newsmaker of the Year at a gala event in Pretoria tonight.
The recognition comes after a year in which Mkhwanazi became one of the most talked-about policing figures in South Africa.
His name has been at the centre of national conversations around organised crime, corruption, political interference and the fight to restore public confidence in law enforcement.
Mkhwanazi’s rise to this moment did not come from routine policing work alone. It came from his public stance on serious crime and his willingness to speak openly about the pressures facing the police.
For many South Africans, especially in KZN, he has become a symbol of tough policing at a time when communities are demanding stronger action against criminal networks.
The Newsmaker of the Year honour recognises the impact he has had on the public conversation over the past year.
In simple terms, Mkhwanazi is being honoured because he did not just make headlines — he shaped the national debate on crime, policing and accountability.