General Dumisani Khumalo Admits Some Officers May Know Who Ordered DJ Warras and Witness D Murders
- Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo continued testimony before Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee on 16 January 2026
- The head of the Crime Intelligence Division discussed whether police officers could be involved in high-profile murders
- South Africans took to social media to discuss General Khumalo's admission, saying they were not surprised
Source: Getty Images
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, 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.
WESTERN CAPE – Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo has admitted that it’s possible that some members of the police knew who was responsible for several high-profile murders in the country.
General Khumalo, the head of the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) Crime Intelligence Division, made the admission while appearing before the Ad Hoc Committee in Cape Town.
He is the second witness to testify before the committee in 2026, which is probing allegations of corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system. The allegations were made by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during an explosive press briefing on 6 July 2025.
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General Khumalo discusses the country’s high-profile murders
At the end of his two-day appearance before the committee, General Khumalo was asked about whether some police members might have known who was behind some high-profile murders.
The question was posed by Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee, Molapi Soviet Lekganyane.
“Is it possible that within the SAPS, the people who killed Babita Deokaran are known?” he asked.
Deokaran was a corruption whistle-blower within the Gauteng Department of Health, who was assassinated in August 2021. She was murdered not long after she halted R850-million in suspicious payments to hundreds of companies linked to Tembisa Hospital.
General Khumalo responded that within the SAPS, it was possible. Lekganyane sought clarity, asking again if at least one official within the SAPS knew who killed Deokaran, to which General Khumalo again said that it was possible.
Lekganyane also questioned if it was also possible that an official within the SAPS knew who killed Witness D, Marius van der Merwe, and also DJ Warras. The Crime Intelligence head said that it was possible for both cases.
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Khumalo questioned about the possibility of involvement of police officers
Lekganyane then asked if it was possible that SAPS members could have actually been involved in the murders. General Khumalo said that, given previous cases, it was possible that officers could have had a hand in the murders.
He noted the murder case of former African National Congress (ANC) Youth League Secretary-General, Sindiso Magaqa. The hitman who was sentenced for the murder testified that the AK47 used to kill Magaqa and the getaway vehicle belonged to the police Crime Intelligence unit.
South Africans not surprised by General Khumalo’s admission
Social media users weighed in on the admission but were not surprised by it.
Ephraim Zenande Sokhela stated:
“The man is speaking nothing but the truth.”
Nanado Kujane agreed:
“Give that man a Bells.”
Yogan Damodharan said:
“Police officers know how to tamper, get rid of, and overlook evidence.”
Lera Waha Matee added:
“We all know it’s 100% possible.”
Di Xi exclaimed:
“Wee, don't hold back, General Khumalo. Spill everything you know.”
Sanele Trinity Ngesi said:
“General Dumisani Khumalo is a man of integrity. I like how he conducts himself and answers the questions effortlessly.”
Koresh Baioyl added:
“South Africa is a movie.”
General Khumalo claims arrest was aimed at discrediting him
Briefly News reported that General Khumalo claimed that his arrest was aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
Khumalo faced questions from EFF leader Julius Malema about how his arrest had affected him.
Khumalo was arrested in 2025 along with six other senior SAPS officials and faces charges of fraud and corruption.
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Source: Briefly News
