Fikile Mbalula Declines to Speak About Police Minister Past Unless Summoned by Madlanga Commission

• Fikile Mbalula didn't want to answer questions about his brief stint as the Minister of Police
• The Secretary-General (SG) of the African National Congress (ANC) was the minister from 2017 to 2018
• Mbalula also discussed what he would do if he were implicated in the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

GAUTENG – Fikile Mbalula doesn’t want to talk about his tenure as the Minister of Police, but will do so if the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry asks.

The Secretary-General (SG) of the African National Congress (ANC) was Deputy Minister of Police from May 2009 to Oct 2010. He also served as the Minister of Police from 2017 to 2018.

With the Madlanga Commission probing political interference and corruption within the criminal justice system, and previous ministers being named during testimony thus far, Mbalula was questioned about his time as the minister.

Mbalula declines to comment on ministerial tenure

During an ANC press briefing at Luthuli House on Thursday, 02 October 2025, Mbalula was asked about his time as the minister. The SG said he would not talk about his time as the minister, because he was addressing ANC matters and not the Madlanga Commission. The press briefing was to provide the outcomes of the party’s National Working Committee.

Mbalula, who has held many different ministerial posts during his political career, did admit that if he was implicated, he would go and account.

“I do not want to speak about matters that do not concern me at the present moment. I don’t know whether they will concern me, and so on.

“But if they do, I will be ready to do that as a Minister of Police appointed by President Zuma and recalled by Ramaphosa,” he said.

You can view his full comment below.

Several police ministers named during Madlanga Commission

If Mbalula’s name is mentioned, he won’t be the first minister, past or present, whose name has been brought up.

Bheki Cele was accused of interfering with the arrest of Sindiso Magaqa’s killers, and previously was alleged to have ties with Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. The late Nathi Mthethwa was also mentioned, as Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged that Mthethwa forced former Inspector-General of Intelligence, Faith Radebe, to withdraw a criminal case against Richard Mdluli. Mdluli, the former Head of Crime Intelligence, was accused of abuse of the police's secret slush fund.

Current Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, has been mentioned several times. During his testimony, General Fannie Masemola alleged that Mchunu and his suspended deputy, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, protected criminal syndicates.

Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo, during his two-day testimony, also showed evidence that Mchunu had ties to Brown Mgotsi and Cat Matlala.

Matlala was unhappy with Mchunu

Briefly News reported that Cat Matlala was unhappy with Mchunu over one of his decisions.

General Khumalo shared WhatsApp conversations between Matlala and Mgotsi in which he expressed annoyance.

In one conversation, Matlala said he was not happy with Mchunu’s decision to review Cat’s tender.

Source: Briefly News