General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi Allegedly Caught in Leaked Call Discussing Musician’s Criminal Case
- A leaked audio recording placed KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi at the centre of an abuse-of-power controversy
- Mkhwanazi was recorded discussing criminal charges against musician Paul 'Tsaka' Madubanya after the artist allegedly insulted him and his wife on social media
- The recording surfaced shortly after TikToker Max Makhanya was arrested in Durban for allegedly insulting Mkhwanazi online
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SOUTH AFRICA - A leaked audio recording has placed KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi under scrutiny, raising serious questions about whether he used his authority to target people who criticised him online.
Sunday World reported on a recorded conversation between Mkhwanazi and Captain Phaladi Makola, who also serves as the investigating officer in the high-profile Shebeshxt case. In the recording, Mkhwanazi allegedly discussed possible criminal charges against musician Paul "Tsaka" Madubanya, who they say directed insults at him and his wife on social media.
What Mkhwanazi said on the recording
During the conversation, Mkhwanazi allegedly questioned Madubanya's mental state, citing the nature of the alleged insults. He then asked Makola whether additional charges could be added to an existing case against the musician.
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Mkhwanazi went further, suggesting that piling on more cases could send a message to others.
"I think the more cases that are brought to him, the more others are going to learn a lesson from it," he said in the recording.
He added that he had not initially taken much interest in the matter but changed his mind.
"I then realised he needs to be taught a lesson," he reportedly told Makola.
Madubanya is currently facing criminal proceedings after a Thobela FM presenter opened a crimen injuria case against him.
The recording surfaced not long after popular TikToker and MK Party activist Max Makhanya was arrested in Durban for allegedly insulting Mkhwanazi and the KwaZulu-Natal police in a social media post. Makhanya was released the following day on R7,000.
See X post from Sunday World here:
Police deny any abuse of authority
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe pushed back against suggestions that Mkhwanazi had overstepped his position. She argued that the recorded conversation reflected ordinary communication between officers about an active investigation.
Mathe maintained that Mkhwanazi was himself a victim, given the alleged threats and insults directed at him and his wife. She also stated that no unlawful instruction had been given to arrest, intimidate or interfere with any investigation.
Cat Matlala challeges Mkhwanazi recording
Briefly News previously reported that Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala called on KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to hand over a recording of their meeting as evidence to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. The pair met in April 2025, but there are differing versions about what was discussed during that meeting and who brought up certain topics. Matlala stated he could not understand why what he regards as a critical piece of evidence had not yet been submitted to the Commission.
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Source: Briefly News
