KZN police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has withdrawn the allegations he made against former police minister Bheki Cele.
Testifying before a parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations of corruption in the criminal justice system, Mkhwanazi previously accused Cele of receiving money from controversial tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Mkhwanazi said Cele allegedly sent a bank account number, not in his name, and Matlala deposited money into the account.
“This is not just about phone calls. It’s about money. It’s criminal,” said Mkhwanazi.
“The communication dates back to 2024. We are tracking where the money went after the deposit — whether it returned to Cele or reached someone else.”
On Thursday, Cele appeared before the committee.
During the proceedings, evidence leader Norman Arendse revealed that he had received a message from Mkhwanazi retracting his allegation.
“We received a text message from Mkhwanazi in which he says this allegation is withdrawn,” Arendse said. “The team that was working on the analysis got the bank account number wrong, and it’s not a reference to you. The allegation is withdrawn with apologies from Mkhwanazi for any inconvenience or hurt caused.”
MPs demanded that Mkhwanazi come back to parliament to retract his statement under oath, in the same way he made the allegations.
EFF leader Julius Malema said MPs should have also been formally informed.
“This is not something to be directed to the minister,” Malema said. “He said that to us about the minister, so if he has anything to say, he has to write to parliament and say it looks like I got my facts wrong, and therefore I apologise to the minister, the committee, and the people of South Africa.
“We can’t be members of the committee and have people come here to retract statements while we hear them like any other person. It must come to us, then it’ll be communicated publicly.”
ANC MP Khusela Sangoni said, “If the general says he falsely accused Cele, and he said this on national TV, then withdrawing that damaging allegation would have to be done in a public manner, the same way he did when he made such allegations.”
ANC MP Mdumiseni Ntuli said proper processes should be followed for Mkhwanazi to withdraw his statement.
“How this is withdrawn is important. We were told people have the capacity to design and send messages on behalf of your number without you being aware. This matter should not just be withdrawn by merely sending an SMS. We need something officially written to be made available.”
DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach called on Mkhwanazi to come back to parliament to explain his decision.
TimesLIVE
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