Bheki Cele ignores Parliament's invitation amid Mkhwanazi inquiry delays

Former police minister Bheki Cele has ignored a formal invitation to appear before Parliament’s ad hoc committee probing explosive allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, despite a response deadline of September 10.

The committee, which met this week, heard from its Secretariat that Cele was contacted on September 8 but had yet to reply.

“The due date is today (September 10). So maybe if we get any response today, we can update members even if it is via the WhatsApp group,” the Secretariat said.

Committee Senior Counsel Advocate Norman Arendse confirmed that Cele remained the only high-profile witness who had not made contact.

“Except for Bheki Cele, we haven’t confirmed a date for a meeting to discuss a statement,” he told MPs.

Other senior officials, including Acting Minister Firoz Cachalia, Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, and suspended police Minister Senzo Mchunu, have complied with requests to engage, said Arendse. 

Meanwhile, Mkhwanazi, the central figure in the inquiry, remains unavailable due to ongoing consultations ahead of his testimony at the Madlanga Commission next week.

His appearance before Parliament is now expected only after September 21, prompting concerns that the committee’s timeline will slip.

EFF leader Julius Malema accused unnamed forces of deliberately blocking Mkhwanazi from testifying. “They use all manner of excuses to make sure that he does not appear before this committee,” he said.

He questioned why the committee was allowing itself to be junior to the commission, which he described as “toothless, not binding, and it can’t bite”.

“Mkhwanazi must be subpoenaed because what he said is important and can’t be postponed for a day.”

ActionSA’s Dereleen James voiced frustration over Parliament’s perceived weakness. “It is clear we are dictated to. It is clear we are subservient. We are declared completely toothless,” she said.

EFF MP Leigh-Ann Mathys also criticised the committee’s approach, both in dealing with Cele and managing the overall witness schedule.

“That might be one of our biggest problems, why even Bheki Cele hasn't responded. We should have written to him by now and said: these are the dates,” Mathys said.

She called for a firmer process. “We need to have a schedule, when they need to appear before the evidence leaders, when they are going to appear before us, and we send them letters to that effect.

''No nice letters of, ‘Please tell us when you are available, when you are coming back from Milan,’ etc,'' she said. 

Mathys added that Parliament must stop playing “second fiddle” to the Madlanga Commission.

“That commission must release Mkhwanazi and let him come and appear before us. We must be able to take a firm stand and not look like idiots.”

Committee Chairperson Molapi Lekganyane further announced that he would be writing to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Shamila Batohi, requesting her appearance as a witness. This followed a formal request from Mathys. 

Despite mounting pressure, ANC Chief Whip Mdumiseni Ntuli said issuing a subpoena for Mkhwanazi was premature.

“We are not convinced to subpoena him because he is not undermining us,” he said - a view supported by the DA, FF Plus and MK Party.

Cape Times