Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by SAPS KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has recommended a Hawks investigation into former Police Minister Bheki Cele over payments allegedly made by crime boss Mr Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Political parties want investigators to obtain banking and accommodation records to test Matlala’s submission to the committee that he paid Cele R500,000 in cash in two payments.
The committee concluded deliberations on its detailed 790-page draft report late last night, almost a year after public hearings into the allegations began. Yesterday’s session ran for close to six hours and ended just before midnight, with the committee finalising key findings and recommendations drawn from hundreds of hours of testimony and deliberations.
Committee Chairperson Mr Molapi Soviet Lekganyane said the amendments made during the deliberations will not be incorporated. The draft report will be cleaned up before it is sent to affected witnesses for input, and the committee resolved to give witnesses three weeks to make submissions.
Once the input is returned, Parliament’s Legal Services is expected to collate it before the report again serves before the committee for consideration.
Mr Lekganyane said that, although the committee made findings and recommendations based on the oral and documentary evidence before it, it cannot determine whether someone is suitable to occupy a specific office. Where there are no reasonable grounds for findings, he said, the committee cannot recommend that a person be investigated.
The committee also recommended further investigation into Mr Paul O’Sullivan’s alleged attempt to influence committee Member Mr Ashley Sauls. It further agreed that investigators should establish whether former IDAC head Mr Robert McBride and Ms Sarah-Jane Trent perjured themselves before the inquiry by giving conflicting evidence.
Mr Lekganyane thanked committee Members for their diligence throughout the process. “This has been a marathon. There were times we stumbled, dusted ourselves off and kept moving forward.”
Political parties present at the session also thanked Mr Lekganyane for his patience and guidance.
The committee has until the end of this month to complete its work.
Rajaa Azzakani
8 October 2026
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