Mkhwanazi reaffirms allegiance to Crime Intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo

KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has reaffirmed his allegiance to Crime Intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo, backing the fraud-accused crime boss during his testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.

Khumalo was arrested on fraud and corruption charges in June, but Mkhwanazi believes the charges were trumped up and part of a smear campaign to prevent Khumalo from carrying on with an investigation into a criminal syndicate involving drug cartels in Gauteng.

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Mkhwanazi alleged Khumalo requested assistance from the KZN political task team in investigating high-profile murders in Gauteng after the initial investigating team began receiving death threats.

Mkhwanazi alleged two members of Parliament, Fadiel Adams and Dianne Kholer Barnard, were instrumental in the arrest of Khumalo.

Thearrest of Khumalo and six other Crime Intelligence officials was linked to the employment of Dineo Mokwele into a senior position within the unit, despite her allegedly not having any prior policing experience.

Mkhwanazi claimed that Khumalo’s arrest was a result of confidential information that Kholer Barnard and Adams made public, whereas they should have presented it to the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence.

“Maybe you might excuse, to some degree, Mr Adams of being new in Parliament, but Miss Kholer Barnard is a veteran in Parliament as a lawmaker who ought to understand what belongs where.”

Both Kholer Barnard and Adams refuted Mkhwanazi’s claims, suggesting they handled the info supplied to them in a manner that was in the interest of the public.

They’re expected to counter the claims when appearing before the commission.

Mkhwanazi wrapped up his testimony on Friday, with National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola expected to testify on Monday.