Lawyers Demand Action Against Mkhwanazi Over Alleged Torture of Mozambican Businessman
Lawyers representing Mozambican businessman Esmael Maulide Ramos Nangy have called on South African authorities to take disciplinary and legal action against KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
This follows what the legal team describes as a brutal and unlawful police operation against their client.
Nangy and his legal team allege that officers under Mkhwanazi’s command physically abused him after his arrest in connection with an alleged kidnapping. They claim he was falsely accused of being involved in the abduction of a businessman in KwaZulu-Natal.
In court papers filed in the Pretoria High Court, Nangy is seeking R10 million in damages for unlawful arrest, detention, and assault. He states that he and two others were detained in late 2024 on suspicion of kidnapping and were held in KwaDukuza. During interrogation, he alleges, police subjected them to beatings, choke-holds, and placed water-filled plastic bags over their heads. The state withdrew the criminal charges against them in January 2025.
Nangy’s wife has also filed a separate complaint with the Hawks, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation. She alleges that officers who raided their Midrand home illegally seized luxury items, including six Rolex watches, other jewellery, and cash. She detailed these claims in an affidavit provided after her own arrest, in which she also described being held in degrading conditions without access to basic hygiene for several days.
Nangy’s lawyers state they have written to senior police officials, questioning why Mkhwanazi has not yet faced a disciplinary hearing despite the serious allegations.
They are also demanding the return of the seized property and seeking clarity on whether any arrest or search warrants were issued for the operation. Police have acknowledged receipt of the complaint and have confirmed that their legal team is reviewing it.
General Mkhwanazi and his office have not yet publicly commented on the specific allegations of torture and theft.