The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) has addressed speculation over a warrant of arrest for KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
This amid rumours swirling on social media about Mkhwanazi’s imminent arrest on allegations of torturing suspects during questioning. Several individuals, including Fadiel Adams and Mary de Haas, have shared allegations about the political killings task team (PKTT) employing extreme methods to get suspects to talk.
De Haas appeared before the parliament’s ad hoc committee in November last year and shared these allegations. She said families had informed her their relatives were being abused by the PKTT to get them to make statements.
“The abuses people were independently reporting to me – emotional and physical. There was the use of tubing. Many police officers do it, but it’s almost the norm. This is according to what everybody who encountered the task team has spoken of,” she said.
“Emotional and psychological abuse, which they tend to use more often on the police officers they target. The emotional abuse was extreme. I’ve listened to it. One person was harassed into delivering false evidence against a former uMkhonto weSizwe member [not the political party].
“They seize phones and search houses without warrants – these are very common practices. This is illegal. The fabrication of evidence is a serious problem. Fabrication of evidence was a common practice.
“I’m hearing horror stories. Humans suffering. Dreadful stuff.”
Mkhwanazi’s imminent arrest?
Amid these allegations, several social media accounts have been claiming that Mkhwanazi’s arrest was imminent.
However, on Sunday, the Idac dismissed the reports “with the contempt it deserves”, labelling them as “false”.
“These rumours are clearly started to disrupt and distract the work of Idac, as well as the responsibilities that Gen Mkhwanazi is discharging in the fight against crime,” said Idac spokesperson Henry Mamothame.
“Members of society are urged to be vigilant against false information circulated on social media platforms, aimed at destabilising and discrediting law enforcement in the country.”
Defeating the ends of justice
These are not the only allegations against Mkhwanazi.
In November last year, Mkhwanazi told the Madlanga commission that he was aware of a case of defeating the ends of justice, which would be laid against him.
Mkhwanazi was alerted to the case by Brown Mogotsi via WhatsApp on 30 September 2024.
The case arose from his having advised his colleague on the procedures to follow when making an arrest.
The acting head of the Qalakabusha correctional centre in Empangeni was accused of possession of drugs and ammunition.
‘Too many unanswered questions’
During his testimony at the Madlanga commission, Mkhwanazi said there were too many unanswered questions relating to the arrest.
“I must say that what made me intervene was that incident, although the drugs and the ammunition that were found were not found in her possession, but were found outside the house where she was staying, which is a state house, which is within the state facility,” said Mkhwanazi.
“I advised the police officer, senior officer in charge of the operation, on how to handle that incident that occurred while making sure that the ends of justice are realised, the proper investigation is done and we
don’t attract an illegal litigation against the organisation by arresting the wrong person. So that was my guidance to him.”
“I asked questions and said, but you can’t detain a person if you have not confirmed that this belongs to this person. It’s like stopping a car driving and there are two or three occupants in a vehicle, you see a firearm inside and you arrest the driver.
“First, you have to investigate, do touch DNA and confirm who probably might have touched this firearm. Then you can confirm who it belongs to before you arrest the person. It does not automatically mean that what you find in the area will belong to a person who resides in that facility.”
