Mkhwanazi withdraws Matlala, Cele payment allegation
Parliament's ad-hoc committee has confirmed that KZN police chief Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has withdrawn an allegation he made about former police minister Bheki Cele.
The allegation has to do with claims Cele received money from alleged cartel leader Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala.
Chief Evidence Leader at the commission, Advocate Norman Arendse, first referred to the allegation, which Cele addressed in his statement to the committee on Thursday.
" Before this ad-hoc committee, Lieutenant General Mkwanazi alleged that I had been directly linked to a suspicious transfer from Mr Matlala. It is alleged that I sent Matlala a bank account number that was not in my name, but that of a third party, and that Mr Matala subsequently deposited money into that account and later sent me the proof of payment and that I acknowledged receipt of such payment.
"Then your response was, I have not seen the text messages that were referred to by Lieutenant General Mkwanazi, and I confirm that I do not send any text messages and that I did not send any bank account details. I can also confirm that I've never received any payment from Mr Matlala."
Arendse said during a break that the committee received a message from Mkhwanazi, withdrawing his comments.
“ The team that was working on the analysis got the bank account number wrong, and it's not a reference to you. So, the allegation is withdrawn with due apologies from Lieutenant General Mkwanazi for any inconvenience or hurt caused,” Mkhwanazi said in the message.
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