Ad Hoc Committee Chief Evidence Leader Warns SA About Corruption

Ad Hoc Committee Chief Evidence Leader Warns SA About Corruption

  • The Ad Hoc Committee's chief evidence leader, Advocate Norman Arendse, issued a warning to South Africans about the state of corruption
  • He spoke as delays stalled the proceedings of the Ad Hoc Committee, which had summoned KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to testify
  • He addressed the Committee and said that the allegations Mkhwanazi made should be thoroughly examined

With 10 years’ experience, Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, provided insights into the criminal justice system, crime statistics, commissions of inquiry, and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.

The Ad Hoc Committee's chief evidence leader Norman Arendse delivered an opening statement
Ad Hoc Committee chief evidence leader Norman Arendse spoke at the Ad Hoc Committee. Image: Harold Cunningham/AFP via Getty Image
Source: Getty Images

PARLIAMENT, CAPE TOWN — The chief evidence leader of Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee, Norman Arendse, said that South Africa must decisively root out corruption and investigate the allegations KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi made during his 6 July 2025 press briefing.

Arendse made his remarks during his opening statement in Parliament on 7 October 2025. The Committee called Mkhwanazi to testify as its first witness. Arendse said that the Committee was duty-bound to safeguard the constitution and restore public trust.

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Arendse said that the gains of democracy may become little more than the shifting sands of illusion. He quoted a speech delivered by former statesman Nelson Mandela in 1995, where Mandela addressed corruption and the wounds South Africa suffered because of it.

"We have failed to heal the wounds (Mandela) refers to," he said.

He also said that various commissions of inquiry exposed the depth of corruption in the country and how the findings revealed how politicians, businessmen, and public figures violated the constitution.

Senior Council Norman Arendse is the Ad Hoc Committee's chief evidence leader
Norman Arendse addressed the Ad Hoc Committee. Image: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

What happened at the Ad Hoc Committee?

The Ad Hoc Committee was scheduled to commence on 7 October. General Mkhwanazi was expected to be the first witness. However, in its 7 October sitting, the president of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, questioned the statement Mkhwanazi submitted to the Committee. He questioned why the system before the committee was supplementary if there was no original. The proceedings were adjourned.

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Parliament tightens security ahead of Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's testimony, SA praises Police Commissioner

What you need to know about the Ad Hoc Committee

Julius Malema slams Parliament's legal adviser

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Malema slammed Parliament's legal adviser for the statements he made about Mkhwanazi. The exchange occurred during a Committee sitting in August.

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Politicised SAPS threatens crime-fighting and democracy, says expert

The Legal Advisor, Andile Tetyana, said Mkhwanazi's allegations did not constitute evidence according to his legal opinion. Malema responded and said Tetyana's statements were dismissive.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Tebogo Mokwena avatar

Tebogo Mokwena (Current Affairs editor) Tebogo Mokwena is the Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk and a current affairs writer at Briefly News. With a Diploma in Journalism from ALISON, he has a strong background in digital journalism, having completed training with the Google News Initiative. He began his career as a journalist at Daily Sun, where he worked for four years before becoming a sub-editor and journalist at Capricorn Post. He then joined Vutivi Business News in 2020 before moving to Briefly News in 2023.