Charl Kinnear Murder: Madlanga Commission Exposes Police Collusion

 The shocking findings could shake the SAPS to its core. New revelations from the Madlanga Commission are leaving everyone questioning the force. Here’s what we know so far…

📸Left to right: KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lt. Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, Madlanga Commission Chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, and Nicolette Kinnear, widow of Charl Kinnear. Photo: Felix Dlangamandla/Gallo Images.

By ZAMAHUB 24/7

Charl Kinnear Murder: Madlanga Commission Exposes Police Corruption

Five years after senior detective Charl Kinnear was gunned down outside his Cape Town home, shocking revelations from the Madlanga Commission are exposing entrenched corruption in South Africa’s police force.

Nicolette Kinnear, widow of Charl Kinnear, said this week:

"Now this bomb has exploded in their faces, now they have nowhere to run  at the expense of my husband’s life."

The commission, officially launched on 17 September, is investigating collusion, political interference, and corruption within the criminal justice system, including the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Nicolette expressed frustration that it took the state so long to investigate these suspicions. Before her husband’s murder, Kinnear had warned his superiors about colleagues undermining him and allegedly siding with crime suspects.

She said that if his complaints had been properly addressed instead of swept under the carpet, the SAPS might have uncovered deeper systemic issues the very issues now forming the core of the Madlanga Commission’s inquiry.

Tragically, Kinnear’s murder might have been preventable. At the time, he was investigating multiple individuals, including colleagues suspected of fraudulently issuing gun licenses to criminals.

The attack occurred outside his home in Bishop Lavis, Cape Town, cutting short the life of a detective dedicated to exposing wrongdoing within his own ranks.

Madlanga Commission Launches Following Explosive Accusations:

The murder of Charl Kinnear took place on 18 September 2020 almost exactly five years before the Madlanga Commission officially started its hearings.

President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the creation of the commission after shocking claims were made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lt. Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, during a press conference in July.

Among the allegations, Mkhwanazi stated that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who is currently on special leave, disbanded KwaZulu-Natal’s political killings task team allegedly to shield crime suspects. Mchunu has denied any wrongdoing.

Mkhwanazi was the first witness to testify on Wednesday. He revealed details of a policing plan aimed at protecting two detectives who were investigating the April 2024 murder of engineer Armand Swart in Vereeniging.

Swart had been killed after his company uncovered corruption tied to Transnet contracts, highlighting the dangerous intersection of crime, politics, and law enforcement.

📷Charl and Nicolette Kinnear. (Photo: Supplied)

Threats and Intimidation Rock Investigators

Firearms seized in the case were linked to multiple violent crimes, suggesting the involvement of an organised crime syndicate. Among those arrested was a police officer, Michael Pule Tau, raising serious questions about corruption within the force.

KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lt. Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi testified that senior officers had allegedly offered bribes to investigators probing the Swart murder and related cases, indicating that corruption ran deep through the system. Tau was granted bail in August last year and subsequently resigned from the SAPS.

Speaking at the Madlanga Commission, Mkhwanazi revealed the extent of the threats and intimidation faced by investigators:

"This sparked great concern among investigators as well as the prosecution team because they started fearing for their lives… Those threats were coming verbally and, in some instances, with physical intimidation. At times I’m told they were being followed as they were moving around."

📸Charl Kinnear was assassinated outside his home in Bishop Lavis, Cape Town in 2020. (Photo: Noor Slamdien)

Kinnear’s Fears and Unanswered Questions

Detective Charl Kinnear had also feared for his life. While his murder does not appear to be directly connected to the specific cases prompting the Madlanga Commission, it is closely tied to the broader issue of corruption he had been fighting within the SAPS, particularly in the Western Cape.

Following his assassination, authorities promised decisive action against misconduct. The police minister at the time, Bheki Cele, stated shortly after Kinnear’s death:

"This family deserves to know whether their father was failed and, if so, heads must roll."

Kinnear’s death continues to symbolize the risks faced by those exposing corruption and the ongoing struggle for accountability in South Africa’s police force.

Cele and Matlala: Links to Corruption and Ongoing Investigations

Police Minister Bheki Cele is now connected to some of the issues raised by Lt. Gen. Mkhwanazi, according to reports from News24. Cele has been associated with businessman Vusi “Cat” Matlala, a key figure in Mkhwanazi’s allegations, including claims that Matlala financially supported former Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s political ambitions.

Matlala also had direct ties to policing, having been awarded a R300-million police health services contract, which was later terminated. Since May, he has been held in custody on charges including conspiracy to commit murder and money laundering, some linked to an attempted hit on his ex-girlfriend, actress Tebogo Thobejane, in 2023.

This week, Matlala was denied bail in the Alexandra magistrate’s court in Johannesburg after failing to convince the court he was not a flight risk or that he would refrain from interfering with witnesses.

Regarding the Kinnear case, Daily Maverick reports that several aspects are still unresolved. In the five years since his murder, one senior officer accused of failing to protect him has passed away, while another has retired, leaving lingering questions about accountability within the SAPS.

📸Illustrative image. From left: Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu, Vusi ‘Cat’ Matlala and KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. (Photos: Theo Jeptha, Luba Letsolle and Deaan Vivier / Gallo Images)

Culpable Homicide: Accountability Questions Remain

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) investigated why Charl Kinnear was not provided with state-organized protection at the time of his murder, despite being under clear threat. Reports suggest that some colleagues were aware his cellphone was being tracked, raising further concerns about internal security failures.

Ipid also accused Khehla Sitole, the national police commissioner at the time, of failing to cooperate with investigations into Kinnear’s death. Sitole denied these allegations, but the issue may have contributed to President Ramaphosa prematurely ending Sitole’s contract in February 2022, citing the decision as being “in the best interests of the country.”

In May 2022, Ipid finalized a report on the Kinnear case, which was only declassified at the end of last year after controversy over earlier attempts to keep it secret. The report contained scathing findings against several senior police officers, highlighting systemic failures and a lack of accountability within the SAPS.

📸Lieutenant General Fannie Masemola. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach) | Charl Kinnear, who was assassinated outside his home in Bishop Lavis, Cape Town. (Photo: Supplied) | General Khehla Sitole. (Photo: GCIS)

Kinnear Case Still Stalls Despite Investigations

More than three years after Ipid submitted its findings on the Kinnear murder, questions remain about their implementation. When approached by Daily Maverick, Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping said:
"The SAPS national commissioner must still provide a report to Ipid on the recommendations submitted in the Kinnear matter."

Daily Maverick also asked SAPS about the status of the recommendations on 11 September, but no response was received by publication time. This leaves the fate of implicated police officers unclear.

Despite a national-level response to Mkhwanazi’s allegations, the Kinnear case appears to be moving slowly. Suping noted that Parliament’s previous police portfolio committee chair, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, had promised the Kinnear matter would remain on the agenda until a police report was submitted — but Joemat-Pettersson passed away in 2023.

In 2022, seeking accountability, Nicolette Kinnear lodged culpable homicide complaints against officers she believed had failed to protect her husband. Suping confirmed to Daily Maverick that Ipid’s criminal investigations into culpable homicide are ongoing, showing that the legal process is still unfolding.

📸Nafiz Modack appears at Western Cape High Court on 12 February 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. The accused face various charges under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, including the assassination of crime investigator Charl Kinnear in September 2020. (Photo: Gallo Images / Die Burger / Jaco Marais)

Rogue Units and Corruption: Kinnear’s Early Warnings

Detective Charl Kinnear first raised concerns about dubious activities among colleagues in December 2018, sending a detailed 59-page grievance letter to his superiors. Among his allegations, he claimed that some officers linked to Crime Intelligence in the Western Cape were aligned with organised crime figure Nafiz Modack, who has since been convicted of corruption. Modack is still on trial in connection with Kinnear’s murder, though the actual gunman has not been arrested.

Ipid’s final report on the case confirmed that a “rogue” police unit existed, creating internal conflict and divisions within the Western Cape SAPS. The report noted that this environment may have provided criminal syndicates, including Modack, opportunities to infiltrate the SAPS and monitor key individuals.

This mirrors Lt. Gen. Mkhwanazi’s allegations during the July press conference that sparked the Madlanga Commission. Kinnear had claimed police officers sided with crime suspects in the Western Cape, while Mkhwanazi suggested similar corruption existed at national Crime Intelligence level, with individuals embedded to serve criminal agendas. Mkhwanazi also alleged there was pressure to hand Crime Intelligence over to criminal syndicates.

Ipid’s report further implicated officers from the Hawks priority crime unit, stating that two members acted unlawfully and criminally by failing to act on crucial information, which contributed to Kinnear’s murder. Former Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya was also criticized for failing to protect national interests, though he argued there was “some level of ignorance” about investigative methods before retiring recently.

Kinnear had previously served in the Western Cape Anti-Gang Unit, led by Major General Andre Lincoln, who in the 1990s investigated suspected links between organised crime and government officials  showing a long history of systemic criminal infiltration.

📸Former National Head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya in Pretoria, South Africa. 29 November 2022. (Photo: Gallo Images / OJ Koloti)

Anti-Gang Unit and Leadership Failures

Ipid’s investigation also highlighted issues within the Western Cape Anti-Gang Unit, noting that it was under-resourced and that Major General Andre Lincoln should face charges, as his “inaction … constituted misconduct” under SAPS regulations and represented a serious dereliction of duty as a senior officer.

Previously, Daily Maverick reported that Lincoln stated the Anti-Gang Unit had initially undertaken to protect Kinnear, but this protection was later withdrawn as members were redeployed elsewhere. In a Labour Court affidavit related to the Kinnear accusations, Lincoln described the charges against him as “plainly ridiculous and nothing more than retribution.”

Lincoln, who had struggled with health issues, retired from the police in late 2021 and passed away in May 2025. Among those attending his funeral was Lt. Gen. Mkhwanazi, reflecting the ongoing connection between key figures in the investigations.

📷Major-General André Lincoln who led the Anti-Gang unit (Photo: Gallo Images / Netwerk24 / Jaco Marais)

Drugs, Guns, and National Corruption

On top of all previous revelations, the Madlanga Commission is now investigating fresh allegations of police corruption, including Lt. Gen. Mkhwanazi’s claims that a Gauteng-based drug cartel was running a criminal syndicate reaching into state entities, including the police.

Detective Charl Kinnear had been investigating similar crimes prior to his murder. He was looking into shootings in the Western Cape, some of which may have been linked to the drug trade, and probing allegations that Gauteng police officers were issuing fraudulent gun licenses to suspects in the Western Cape.

Ipid’s report highlighted that this exposed weaknesses and corruption within the SAPS Central Firearms Register, showing that Kinnear played a significant role in uncovering national-level corruption, the same core issue now under scrutiny by the Madlanga Commission.

“Kinnear’s work didn’t just matter for the Western Cape it touched the heart of policing in South Africa.”

This is just the tip of the iceberg—what really happened behind the scenes will shock you. Keep reading on Zamahub 24/7!