The country waits with bated breath as KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, is expected to address the media on Thursday.
This comes after explosive claims made by the South African Police Service’s Head of Crime Intelligence, Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo, during testimony before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System (Madlanga Commission).
POLICE HEAD LINKED TO CRIMINAL MATTERS
Khumalo alleged that Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya was seen driving a vehicle registered to controversial businessman James Stuart Scharnick, a man with a lengthy criminal history.
According to Khumalo’s testimony, Scharnick has faced 34 charges and has been found guilty on 18 of them. He also told the Commission that Scharnick was present at Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee when Sibiya testified and that he acted as a “bodyguard”.
KwaZulu-Natal police say they will provide context to the ongoing investigation into matters linked to Scharnick’s criminal record and firearm licence. The press conference is expected to take place at the SAPS KZN Provincial Headquarters in Durban at 1pm. Police say that some of the cases against Scharnick were opened and investigated in KwaZulu-Natal.
NUMEROUS CASES AGAINST KHUMALO
In a new twist, Scharnick has opened numerous cases, including a case of defeating the ends of justice against Lieutenant General Khumalo at the Pretoria Central Police Station. He accuses Khumalo of misleading the Commission and damaging his reputation.
It is also believed that Scharnick himself may soon appear before the Madlanga Commission.
Meanwhile, Sibiya, who was the third witness to appear before the Commission, previously claimed that Mkhwanazi had been “playing mind games” with the country and taking South Africans for a “ride.” The Madlanga Commission and the Ad Hoc Committee are probing the allegations around national security matters raised by Mkhwanazi in July.
