Cachalia voices concern over rumours of Mkhwanazi’s imminent arrest
Cachalia said it was unacceptable that Idac could issue arrest warrants against senior police officers without informing either him.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has expressed concern over reports that KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi was on the verge of being arrested by the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac).
There has been speculation since last year that Idac was pursuing Mkhwanazi, Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo and other senior police officials.
ALSO READ | Mkhwanazi to be officially honoured as 2025 Newsmaker of the Year
While Idac had consistently dismissed the speculation in the past, the rumours gained traction last Friday when the directorate confirmed that arrest warrants had been issued for Khumalo and Major General Nosipho Madondo.
Speaking during a media briefing in Johannesburg on Monday, Cachalia said it was unacceptable that Idac could issue arrest warrants against senior police officers without informing either him or Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi.
I came to learn about the warrants through a newspaper article.
“I was not informed about the possible arrest of those generals,” he said.
Upon learning about the instrumental role Khumalo and Madondo were playing in planning security operations to deal with possible threats linked to anti-illegal immigration protests scheduled for June 30, Idac put the warrants on hold.
ALSO READ | Spaza shops are being used as fronts for organised crime, says Mkhwanazi
Cachalia said while no police officer, regardless of rank, should be shielded from accountability, communication protocols needed to be observed before the arrest of individuals playing a key role in the fight against crime in the country.
While NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago confirmed the arrest warrants for Khumalo and Madondo, he denied that a warrant had been issued for Mkhwanazi.
