KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has accused former Police Minister Bheki Cele of attempting to interfere in a sensitive internal police matter.
Testifying at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria on Friday, Mkhwanazi revealed that Cele allegedly tried to protect Crime Intelligence spy boss, Feroz Khan, from facing disciplinary proceedings.
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According to Mkhwanazi, Cele tried to convince Major General Jabulani Khumalo, a district commander in KwaZulu-Natal, to resign from the South African Police Service (SAPS).
This intervention reportedly came after Khumalo was appointed to chair a disciplinary hearing involving Khan. The case was linked to a major 2021 Gauteng cocaine bust, where Khan was accused of interfering in a legitimate drug seizure that led to the arrest of two officers.
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Mkhwanazi claimed Cele wanted Khumalo out of SAPS to prevent him from presiding over the case, instead pushing him to assist Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi with crime-fighting efforts.
Mkhwanazi Says He Was Left Disturbed
Mkhwanazi did not mince words about his reaction to Cele’s alleged actions.
“Cele is pursuing Khumalo to resign from the police so that he can stay away from the disciplinary case because he was appointed to deal with that case, departmentally against General Khan,” he said.
Visibly unsettled, Mkhwanazi added: “Can really General Cele go to the extent of wanting a person to resign from the SAPS because he wants to protect someone? It was really strange, I did not talk to Cele from that day.”
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Ultimately, Mkhwanazi himself was appointed to oversee Khan’s disciplinary process. He later cleared Khan of all charges.
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