Adams evades question over why Mkhwanazi called him a ‘hired gun’ for cartels | Madlanga Commission

Suspended MP Fadiel Adams brushed off inquiries about the reasoning behind Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi dubbing him a "hired gun" for cartels during his appearance at the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday. Instead, Adams insisted that his law enforcement efforts had made him a target, stating he had reported alleged threats and that investigators obtained significant evidence.

He revealed a three- to four-minute recording featuring former gang boss Faik Moses, which Adams claimed backed his claims of receiving threats. Adams also accused Mkhwanazi of labeling him and members of the National Crime Consortium (NCC) as "hired guns" working for criminal cartels, arguing that their criminal complaints were aimed at exposing fraud and corruption, not working for cartels.

Mkhwanazi, however, presented a different narrative, accusing Adams of providing unverified criminal complaints to the Independent Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) to target senior SAPS leadership. He called the alleged campaign "State Capture 2.0," claiming it aimed to weaken the police and disrupt key law-enforcement operations.

Adams maintains that his complaints were driven by efforts to expose alleged corruption, while Mkhwanazi contends they were part of a broader destabilization effort. The situation has affected high-ranking officials, including Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo and National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola. Adams is set to continue his testimony on Thursday.