During his testimony at the Madlanga commission of inquiry on Tuesday, Sergeant Fannie Nkosi—previously known as Witness F—discussed his relationship with KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson questioned Nkosi about his seeming admiration for Mkhwanazi, alongside his colleague Steve Motsumi. “Too much,” Nkosi replied with a chuckle.
The exchange followed the presentation of a WhatsApp conversation between Nkosi and Mkhwanazi.
In the messages, Mkhwanazi shared a song by American rapper Tupac Shakur, which Nkosi said reflected their shared appreciation for the artist’s music.
Nkosi also testified that Motsumi holds similar admiration for Mkhwanazi.
“That man loves General Mkhwanazi. The way I love General Mkhwanazi, he also does,” Nkosi told the commission.
He further claimed that suspended deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya is also fond of Mkhwanazi, adding that Sibiya once instructed him to help mend relations between the two.
“Sibiya called me and said I must call Mkhwanazi so they can make peace. If Sibiya didn’t like him, he wouldn’t have taken that effort,” Nkosi testified, adding that in 2024, he had been sent by Sibiya to approach Mkhwanazi.
Nkosi’s lawyers raises concern
When questioned about Sibiya’s relationship with other senior police figures, including General Dumisani Khumalo and national police commissioner Fannie Masemola, Nkosi said he could not comment.
Commissioner Sesi Baloyi challenged his response, citing his apparent closeness to Sibiya. Nkosi maintained that he could not speculate without direct knowledge.
“The reason I said that is that I hadn’t seen them in a setting where they don’t get along. I do not want to say something I have no proof of. I can’t speak about rumours,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hartley Ngoato, representing Nkosi, told the commission that one of the commission’s attorneys consulted his client in his absence.
He stated that he takes great exception to that.
However, Chaskalson said he was not aware of the incident that Ngoato was raising. Chaskalson further accepted that the attorney should not have consulted Nkosi in Ngoato’s absence.
The commission’s chairperson, Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, stated that there is a concession that what the attorney did was wrong and will not happen again.
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