Illustrative image | The chair of Parliament's ad hoc committee, Soviet Lekganyane. | Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. (Photos: Darren Stewart / Gallo Images) | Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla / Daily Maverick) 
A tug-of-war has developed over access to KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who is set to be the main witness at two different hearings into the accusations he made recently.
One is the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which was set up on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s orders.
The other is a parliamentary ad hoc committee, the start date of which has now been affected because of the Madlanga Commission.
Mkhwanazi in the middle
Mkhwanazi is set to be called as the commission’s first witness on Wednesday, 17 September, and may take five days to testify.
Parliament’s ad hoc committee met on Wednesday, 10 September, and proceedings became heated when it became apparent that Mkhwanazi would not be readily available to testify to the committee because of his appearance before the Madlanga Commission.
The Madlanga Commission and the ad hoc committee will look into accusations that Mkhwanazi outlined during a press conference in July.
The accusations included that a drug cartel based in Gauteng was controlling a high-level criminal syndicate that extended into various state entities, including the police.
He also alleged that the police minister at the time, Senzo Mchunu, along with others, including Deputy National Commissioner of Crime Detection Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, had undermined investigations into political killings.
Mchunu and Sibiya, who were both subsequently placed on leave, have denied the allegations.
‘We’re ready to start’
On Wednesday, at the start of the ad hoc committee’s meeting, its evidence leader, advocate Norman Arendse SC, explained that according to its terms of reference, Mkhwanazi was meant to be its first witness.
However, he said, there was some “concern” about this because the ad hoc committee would have to wait until Mkhwanazi finished testifying at the Madlanga Commission, which would be around 22 September.
The ad hoc committee would then get a chance to iron out some issues, and this would push its first hearing to early October.
Arendse said: “We feel we’re ready to start earlier.”
There were questions about whether Mkhwanazi should be called as the ad hoc committee’s first witness, as per its terms of reference, or whether someone else should replace him to save time.
Other witnesses expected to be called to the ad hoc committee include National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola and Mchunu.
Former national police boss Bheki Cele has also been requested to appear before the ad hoc committee, but as of Wednesday, he had not yet responded to the request.
‘Toothless’
During Wednesday’s meeting, the EFF’s Julius Malema said Mkhwanazi should be subpoenaed to appear before the ad hoc committee, which had essentially been “juniorised” compared to the Madlanga Commission.
♦️Must Watch♦️
EFF CIC and President, @Julius_S_Malema, rejects all excuses to delay the subpoena of Lt General Mkwanazi, calling attempts to defer to the commission of inquiry irrational and cowardly.
“You’ve made the commission bigger than Parliament because you’re scared. We… pic.twitter.com/wfH4Ki19ms
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) September 10, 2025
Malema said: “It becomes very clear as we proceed that certain people don’t want Mkhwanazi to appear before this committee.
“You have turned this committee into a toothless body. It is going to be the most useless body.
“I’m not even sure if some of us can continue participating in such a committee that agrees on something and does something else.”
Malema pointed out that it was necessary to have Mkhwanazi testify first. He asked: “How can you have the person who started the allegations be the last one to testify?”
‘Underdogs’
ActionSA’s Dereleen James asked why the ad hoc committee had spent so much time coming up with its terms of reference, which included Mkhwanazi being its first witness, when on Wednesday these were being questioned.
“It is clear now that we are being dictated to. It is clear that we are the underdogs,” she said.
“We have declared ourselves … completely toothless.”
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James said the calling of witnesses needed to be strategic, not haphazard, and that it felt as if the ad hoc committee was working around whatever the Madlanga Commission decided.
“It feels as if, at this point … this is a complete waste of time,” she added.
James also wanted Mkhwanazi subpoenaed to appear before the committee.
There were other views about the situation.
‘Essential’ vs ‘ideal’
The DA’s Glynnis Breytenbach understood the desire for Mkhwanazi to be the committee’s first witness. “But it’s not essential … it’s ideal.”
Breytenbach said the ad hoc committee knew roughly what Mkhwanazi would testify about — it would relate to the allegations he made at his July press conference.
the Ad Hoc Committee to Investigate Allegations by @SAPoliceService KZN Provincial Commissioner Lt. Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi re-affirms its position that he will be the first witness @ParliamentofRSA @NPA_Prosecutes @DOJCD_ZA @DefenceCluster pic.twitter.com/aav9AJFtf3
— Justice-and-security-Cluster (@JustSecuCluster) September 10, 2025
However, Malema later pointed out that the committee could not rely on what had emerged “on TV”.
It was decided on Wednesday that Mkhwanazi would still be the ad hoc committee’s first witness and that he would not be subpoenaed to appear before it. DM