Perjury case opened against top cop Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi over Cele retraction

Cape Town – A perjury charge has been laid against embattled Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi after he retracted allegations he made against former police minister Bheki Cele during his testimony before the Madlanga Commission.

The complaint was filed by National Coloured Congress MP Fadiel Adams at the Cape Town Central Police Station on Tuesday.

According to IOL, Adams said Mkhwanazi’s withdrawal — done via SMS — was inappropriate, prompting MPs to demand that he formally retract his sworn statement before Parliament.

Fadiel Adams Accuses SAPS Leadership of Cover-Up

National Coloured Congress (NCC) leader and Police Portfolio Committee member Fadiel Adams has accused KZN Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and former Police Minister Bheki Cele of covering up corruption pic.twitter.com/BMtoKtTHg9

— South African Daily (@southafricandly) October 28, 2025

“Such statements have the potential to erode public trust in SAPS leadership and create confusion regarding official investigations. I further express concern that if such false allegations were made publicly against a Minister, other persons may also be falsely accused by General Mkhwanazi without substantial evidence. These false public allegations still constitute serious misconduct and possibly a criminal false accusation (defamation or defeating justice),” the report quoted Adams as saying in an affidavit.

“Subsequent to the retraction or apology made by Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi, the Judiciary of South Africa issued a media statement noting that General Mkhwanazi’s ‘claims, made without substantiation, are extremely damaging to the public confidence in the independence and integrity of our courts’.”

National Coloured Congress MP Fadiel Adams has laid perjury charges against KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. https://t.co/TFP4ytFtv2

— News24 🇿🇦 (@News24) October 28, 2025

Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed that a perjury case had been registered, while KZN police had not yet responded to media enquiries.

Mkhwanazi had previously testified that Cele sent an account number to tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, who then made a payment.

He later admitted the information was incorrect and apologised to Cele, saying his team had misidentified the bank account.

Adams, who was also implicated by Mkhwanazi in allegedly mishandling classified intelligence, hit back, calling Mkhwanazi “a walking contradiction” and questioning his credibility, noting that the provincial commissioner himself lacks top-secret clearance.