KwaZulu-Natal SAPS Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi SAPS implicates Fisokuhle Ntuli in Senzo Meyiwa murder case
Image: Oupa Mokoena/Independent Newspapers
KwaZulu-Natal SAPS Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, testifying before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Thursday, implicated Fisokuhle Ntuli, one of the accused in the high-profile Senzo Meyiwa murder case.
According to Mkhwanazi, Ntuli had a prior conviction for four attempted murders, having been arrested, charged and sentenced for the crime.
While on bail, Ntuli was arrested and charged with murders and possession of unlicensed firearms.
Mkhwanazi expressed concern over courts granting bail to repeat offenders, highlighting Ntuli's case as a prime example.
"It is about the challenges we were experiencing with regard to the prosecution of these cases. When a person has been accused of a serious murder case, arrested and granted R10,000 bail and commits other crime thereafter (including) possession of a firearm, it simply means the court is not taking the risk that this individual has in society," he said.
Ntuli is one of the five men accused of murdering former Bafana Bafana captain Meyiwa and all the accused are currently appearing at the ongoing murder trial at the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria.
Mkhwanazi made serious allegations of corruption on July 6, 2025, against specific individuals, including Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu.
The allegations led to President Cyril Ramaphosa establishing the commission to investigate alleged corruption within South Africa's criminal justice system.
Mkhwanazi claimed there was political interference in the system, accusing Mchunu and suspended deputy SAPS commissioner Shadrack Sibiya of conspiring to disband the political killings task team.
He claimed that politicians, prosecutors, and police officers involved in criminal syndicates were working to undermine SAPS investigations.
During his testimony on Thursday Mkhwanazi also raised concerns about the conduct of MPL Fadiel Adams, accusing him of having unauthorised access to intelligence information and dealing with it “recklessly”.
He alleged that Adams abused his perceived influence over senior police officials, potentially compromising security and investigations.
He also claimed that Adams opened three cases at Cape Town police station on October 29, 2024, which "did not warrant registration".
Adams reportedly complained about vetting procedures within crime intelligence.
Mkhwanazi further said Adams alleged that there is significant abuse of the secret fund account within the Crime Intelligence Service, specifically claiming that funds are being used to purchase vehicles for the Political Killing Task Team in KZN.
Adams, he claimed, accused the task team of being an armed force of former Minister of Police, Bheki Cele.
“As a parliamentarian, who is a lawmaker, he is a person who is supposed to know the law. The National Intelligence Act is the law that lawmakers must know and comply with. It would be expected that he knows that this information is information that has to be deposited to an oversight body of government, so that it can be handled with the insensitivity it deserves,” Mkhwanazi said.
On October 31, 2024, Adams lodged the same criminal complaints at Orlando police station in Soweto.
According to Mkhwanazi on November 1, 2024, Adams sent an email to Mchunu complaining about efforts to undermine investigations into these cases.
Mkhwanazi said: "He claims in his email that there is an interception of (the) investigation."
Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, chairing the commission, emphasised that the Commission will avoid premature judgments and that all implicated individuals will be informed and given a chance to respond.
Mkhwanazi further highlighted concerns raised by KwaZulu-Natal Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Elaine Harrison, regarding a decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team, established in 2018 for investigating politically motivated crimes.
His testimony is still under way.