Mapaballo Borotho

- uMkhonto weSizwe supporters marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria in support of KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
- The MK Party has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of shielding alleged criminals within the ANC.
- The party also reflected on the July 2021 unrest, which left hundreds dead and caused widespread damage to infrastructure in both Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
While many organisations across the country marked Mandela Day with acts of service, members of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party took to the streets to protest.
On Friday, 18 July 2025, scores of MK supporters marched to the Union Buildings in Tshwane in support for KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, and to demand the immediate resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
In a strongly worded statement, the party said:
“MK Party supporters and members from Gauteng are marching to the Union Buildings in Tshwane in support of Lt. Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. We demand justice and call for the immediate resignation of President Ramaphosa for his constitutional delinquency.
“For us, July is a painful reminder of injustice. The scars of the July 2021 unrest remain fresh in our memory. But as a revolutionary organisation, we have a resolve not to succumb to the oppression and injustice meted out to us and South Africans in general by the GNU as well as the ANC of Cyril Ramaphosa.”
This protest comes in response to explosive claims made earlier this month by Mkhwanazi, who alleged that political interference within the justice system is severely hampering law enforcement’s ability to investigate and solve crimes.
According to Mkhwanazi, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu disbanded the political killings task team, a team that Mkhwanazi said was already yielding great results.
In response, President Cyril Ramaphosa placed Mchunu on leave and appointed a commission of inquiry to investigate the allegations.
However, this has not quelled public outcry from MK Party members, who believe the situation demands urgent and decisive action.
The MK Party has issued an ultimatum, calling for President Ramaphosa to resign by Friday, 18 July 2025, or face a motion of no confidence.
The party says Ramaphosa is serving the interests of what they call his ‘white masters’ and accuses the ANC of shielding criminals at the expense of ordinary South Africans.
The protest in Tshwane marks the second major demonstration aimed at intensifying pressure on the President and rallying behind Mkhwanazi.
READ NEXT: Drugs, sharp objects, and cash seized in Pollsmoor prison raid



