IDAC Head reveals death threat after Crime boss arrest

Investigating Directorate against Corruption (IDAC) Head Adv Andrea Johnson is giving evidence before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee on November 7, 2025.

Investigating Directorate against Corruption (IDAC) Head Adv Andrea Johnson says her life has changed since Crime Intelligence boss, Dumisani Khumalo’s arrest.

She testified before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during a media briefing in July.

Khumalo was arrested for fraud and corruption with other senior South African Police Service (SAPS) officials in June.

Johnson says she received a message directly to her cellphone telling her to get their bodies bags ready as she and her team had gone too far.

She outlines the role IDAC is playing in clamping down on matters relating to state capture and to refute what she says is a narrative that has been created, accusing the crime-fighting unit of involving itself in SAPS human resource matters.

Johnson rejects allegations that IDAC is acting out of bounds and says Khumalo’s arrest by her unit is in line with its mandate to investigate serious, high-profile or complex cases relating to corruption or financial matters.

She says Mkhwanazi’s assertions that the unit was being used to scupper political killings task team investigations are false.

Johnson says the National Coloured Congress leader and MP Fadiel Adams approached IDAC with information about Khumalo after he said he was ignored by the SAPS in the Western Cape and Gauteng when he laid charges relating to corruption against him and his team.

During the committee, it transpired that the SAPS had in fact tried to reach Adams to follow up on the matter but they were unable to get hold of him.

FUNDING

However, Johnson says through its investigations a picture had emerged that Khumalo had appointed certain people to key positions who would be able to strategically access funding without following proper processes.

She clears up insinuations that her husband, who works at Crime Intelligence (CI), influenced he unit’s investigations. This comes after former Police Minister Bheki Cele raised the issue of Johnson’s spouse to the committee.

She says Cele’s comments are baseless and were made to cause mischief.

Johnson says that within the SAPS environment, contracts for procurement of services and goods are large and financially lucrative. She adds that for this reason they attract the attention of those wanting to loot the system.

Johnson says access to Crime Intelligence funds has for long been a point of contention with allegations of mass looting.

She outlines the important role that crime intelligence plays in fighting organised crime, but said there is a challenge in how CI is held accountable for the use of its secret funding.