Nkabinde reveals close friendship with General Mkhwanazi

Chief of Staff in the Police Ministry Cedrick Nkabinde testifies before Parliament’s Adhoc Committee.

The Chief of Staff in the Police Ministry says he was a very close friend of KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Cedrick Nkabinde is appearing before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee.

Mkhwanazi had told the committee that Nkabinde confessed to him that he was offered the post of Chief of Staff by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.

Mkhwanazi further told MPs that it was Nkabinde who told him that Mchunu and controversial businessman Brown Mogotsi were very close.

Nkabinde explained his relationship with Mkhwanazi to MPs. “ I can give some examples of why I say Mkhwanazi and I are very close friends. He helped me get a job while unemployed. Secondly, he had a bereavement in the family, so I flew down to KZN to support him. When I arrived, he drove with me in my car; he even left his driver to drive with me.”

Nkabinde also explained that the day he took Mkhwanazi to meet Mchunu at his home was because Mkhwanazi asked him to accompany him to the Empangeni area.

He says he was the one who suggested a meet-up, and the two other men had no objection to it. This meeting took place a few months before Mchunu became Police Minister.

Nkabinde was asked why Mkhwanazi travelled to Empangeni.

“General Mkhwanazi was a close friend of mine, I will say that, otherwise, me and him will get into trouble because I believe both our wives are watching here.”