Evidence leader Advocate Norman Arendse has informed Parliament’s Ad-Hoc Committee that he received notification of withdrawal of an allegation about former Police Minister Bheki Cele.

According to Arendse, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has withdrawn his allegation that Cele received money from Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala.

The committee is investigating allegations raised by Mkhwanazi about corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system.

Arendse said the notification explained that the team that was working on data analysis got the bank account details wrong and that it was not a reference to Cele.

“Just before we adjourn, we received a text message. Subsequently, we had a short conversation with the Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi in which he says that this allegation is withdrawn that the team that was working on the analysis got the bank account number wrong and that it’s not a reference to you (Cele).”

BREAKING NEWS | Evidence leader Advocate Norman Arendse has informed Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee that he received notification that KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has withdrawn an allegation he made that former Police Minister Bheki Cele… pic.twitter.com/x1hv04Usds

— SABC News (@SABCNews) October 23, 2025

Meanwhile, Cele has told parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee that the state has lost some of its Special Task Force members to the private sector such as the security industry.

Cele says 56 members were lost to the private sector, but didn’t specify the period. He has been testifying before the Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations of criminal infiltration, corruption and political interference in the justice system.

The allegations were made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commssioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during a media briefing in July.

Cele says the loss of the trained police members to the private sector is one of the things he tried to prevent during his tenure.

“Why I am scared of the story is because I have spoken to Nhlanhla earlier on to give me the information that we have lost 56 members of the Special Task Force of police to the taxi industry. 56. Now, I am told that to train one member of a Special Force Task Team is R1,1 million to be all arounder. We have lost 56 to the taxi industry,” says Cele.

Ad Hoc Committee | I met “Cat” Matlala at the Beverley Hills Hotel in Durban: Bheki Cele