Mkhwanazi faces tough questions as he denies links to Mbense killing

Commission hearing turns tense in Pretoria

What was expected to be another day of testimony became a bruising public grilling as suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi faced sharp questioning over the death of Emmanuel Mbense.

Inside the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria, the Madlanga Commission pressed Mkhwanazi on allegations that he helped cover up the 2022 killing of Mbense in Brakpan.

Mkhwanazi strongly denied any role. But commissioners repeatedly challenged whether his version of events made sense.

The case that refuses to fade

The death of Emmanuel Mbense has become one of the most troubling matters before the commission.

Previous testimony alleged that Mbense died after being tortured by a group said to include police-linked figures, private security personnel and municipal officers.

Those claims were linked to evidence given by Marius van der Merwe, also known as Witness D, who was later killed last year.

According to earlier testimony, Mkhwanazi was allegedly called to the scene and instructed that Mbense’s body be dumped in the Duduza dam area near Nigel.

Mkhwanazi rejected that allegation outright.

Mkhwanazi admits close ties with informer

One of the most striking moments of the hearing came when Mkhwanazi described his relationship with police informer Jaco Hanekom.

He said the connection was both professional and personal. He also revealed they had entered a side business buying and reselling vehicles.

According to Mkhwanazi, he invested R100,000 from earnings made in his clothing business after seeing how quickly the vehicles were selling.

That disclosure raised eyebrows because Hanekom had previously been linked to criminal allegations and was later killed in 2023.

His version of the night

Mkhwanazi told the commission Hanekom phoned him in the early hours of the morning about the successful recovery of stolen goods.

He said he went to the Brakpan location, briefly assessed the scene, realised it was not an EMPD operation and noticed South African Police Service members were already there.

He then claimed he became angry, warned Hanekom not to call him for such matters again, and left.

He insisted he knew nothing about any violence or what had happened before he arrived.

“You want us to believe that?”

Commission chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga was openly sceptical.

He questioned why a senior officer would rush to a scene at around 2am without first asking basic questions: whose operation it was, who was involved, or whether anything serious had happened.

His challenge was blunt and memorable.

Would the commission really be expected to believe that an officer of Mkhwanazi’s rank simply arrived with no idea what he was walking into?

That exchange quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the day.

Suspicious payments under scrutiny

The hearing also examined bank transfers from Hanekom to Mkhwanazi totalling R96,000.

The payments were reportedly made in three instalments between late 2021 and early 2022.

Mkhwanazi said the money was repayment linked to their failed vehicle business.

But evidence leaders suggested the funds may have been tied to criminal activity involving a hijacked truck operation.

He denied that suggestion.

A wider pattern worries the commission

Commissioners noted inconsistencies in the evidence and questioned why no official records existed for the alleged recovery operation.

They also pointed to claims that several people involved in the broader matter are now dead, adding another layer of concern to an already dark case.

At least a dozen individuals have reportedly been identified as persons of interest, with multiple deaths among them.

That alone has deepened public suspicion.

Public reaction: trust in policing on the line

Cases like this often strike a nerve in South Africa, where many communities already feel uneasy about crime, corruption and abuse of power.

On social media, some users said the hearing exposed serious accountability failures. Others urged caution, saying allegations must still be proven.

But one theme stood out: trust in law enforcement is fragile, and every scandal damages it further.

What happens next

Mkhwanazi told the commission the accusations have damaged his life and said he cannot sleep at night.

He also said those truly responsible should be arrested so Mbense’s family can get closure.

The commission now faces the task of separating truth from contradiction.

For the Mbense family, and for a public watching closely, that process cannot come soon enough.