Patriotic Alliance Pushes for Gross Negligence Finding Against General Mkhwanazi, SA Weighs In

• The Patriotic Alliance expressed unhappiness with one part of General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's Ad Hoc Committee appearance
• PA Member of Parliament Ashley Sauls accused fellow Ad Hoc Committee members of applying a different standard to the General
• South Africans weighed in on the party's grievances, sharing varied reactions to its positions on the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

WESTERN CAPE – Members of Parliament (MPs) have rejected the Patriotic Alliance's (PA) attempt to have Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi labelled as grossly negligent.

The party’s Ashley Sauls pushed for the finding during the Ad Hoc Committee’s meeting to finalise its draft report. Sauls’ comments centre around Mkhwanazi's appearance before the committee in early October 2025, during which he alleged that former police minister Bheki Cele was "directly linked to a suspicious money transfer" from alleged criminal Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala into a third-party account.

Read also

Julius Mkhwanazi blames arrests on plot to damage his professional ambitions, South Africans react

The allegation was placed to Cele by evidence leader Advocate Norman Arendse SC during Cele's testimony on 23 October 2025. Before he could respond, General Mkhwanazi sent a text message to the evidence leaders and then spoke with them briefly, withdrawing the claim. Arendse told the committee the allegation was retracted with apologies after the analysis team had recorded the wrong bank account number.

He also explained how Matlala was paying another man, whom he wrongly believed to be Cele.

PA unhappy with General Mkhwanazi’s mistake

The PA's proposed language in the draft report described the withdrawal via text message as a "severe breach of due diligence" and characterised Mkhwanazi's failure to verify the intelligence before presenting it under oath as a "gross act of negligence.

African National Congress chief whip Mdumiseni Ntuli disagreed, saying the characterisation would be "an exaggeration of the nature of the negligence" and called on committee staff to reformulate the paragraph.

The Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters supported Ntuli's position, while the uMkhonto weSizwe Party also sought changes to both paragraphs, with MP David Skosana arguing that the word "gross" implied ill intent on Mkhwanazi's part.

Sauls held firm, accusing his colleagues of inconsistency.

"We should apply equal emphasis and expectation and demand to all witnesses. But it always seems there is leniency when it comes to General Mkhwanazi," Sauls said.

Read also

Sibanyoni tells Madlanga Commission he warned Bheki Cele about criminal cops in taxi cartel

It's not the first time Sauls has taken issue with the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner.

Social media reacts to PA’s proposal

The PA’s stance drew swift comment on X, with many users siding against the party’s position.

@RichmanSekatane wrote:

"It makes sense. The man said: 'there can never be peace between a cop and a criminal'. Mabantiti are scared."

@SybilMatlhako added:

"The PA is out of order. Sies. Kudos to the MPs of other parties for standing up against this."

@krakajac remarked:

"This is just Saul's trying to ingratiate himself with his crooked bosses."

@AngieRosie4 said:

“Not surprising.”

@TThathe44 stated:

“What do you expect from a gangster party?”

Sauls slams Ad Hoc Committee over General Mkhwanazi's letter

Briefly News reported that Sauls slammed Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee over a letter produced by General Mkhwanazi.

The PA Member of Parliament also took aim at the uMkhonto weSizwe Party and Action SA's Dereleen James.

South Africans took to social media to weigh in on Sauls' unhappiness and his comments about PA leader Gayton McKenzie.

Source: Briefly News