Madlanga commission: Witness F claims he was sent to arrest Musa Khawula, netizens erupt

Netizens erupt after explosive claims link Musa Khawula’s arrest to politicians’ police pressure and power.

The arrest of controversial celebrity blogger Musa Khawula has sent shock waves across South African social media. Netizens are now questioning power, politics, and freedom of expression. This follows dramatic revelations that emerged at the Madlanga commission this week.

According to testimony heard at the commission, Witness F revealed that he was the officer instructed to facilitate Khawula’s arrest on charges of crimen injuria. These charges relate to posts about the ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, and media personality Ze Nxumalo.

The arrest, which took place in Dundee, KwaZulu-Natal, was reportedly executed under a J50 warrant.

Witness F told the commission that General Shadrack Sibiya had contacted him while he was en route to arrest Khawula.

[WATCH] Musa Khawula’s X post linking Vusi Matlala to crime and fraud was discussed at the Madlanga Commission.

Witness F revealed he asked Matlala’s security company for help to arrest Khawula, as Matlala knew his whereabouts and was even sent the arrest warrant. pic.twitter.com/u84KLXVSK4

— THE TRUTH PANTHER 🇿🇦 (@TheTruthPanther) February 4, 2026

During that call, Sibiya allegedly instructed him to forward the warrant of arrest to Matlala. This was so that his private security could effect the arrest. At the time, Khawula was reportedly at a location manned by Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s security team.

Adding another political layer to the controversy, Witness F claimed that Sibiya confided that he was under pressure from the then deputy minister of police, Cassel Mathale. This pressure was to ensure Khawula was arrested.

The arrest, he said, was not simply procedural but driven by external political influence.

Further testimony revealed that General Richard Shibiri allegedly contacted Khawula directly, urging him to stop posting about Matlala. Shibiri later shared screenshots of the exchange with Witness F.

However, Witness F told the commission that he could not independently verify whether Shibiri had explicitly warned Khawula to halt his reporting.

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Musa Khawula, 32, was later arrested and charged with violating section 13 of the Cybercrimes Act of 2020. He also faces multiple counts of crimen injuria on 8 January 2025.

At his first court appearance at the Alexandra Magistrates Court, he was denied bail and remanded in custody.

The case, however, would take an unexpected turn. Following later proceedings in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court, the matter was struck off the roll. Upon his release, Khawula did not hold back, taking to social media with his trademark defiance.

He spent 110 days in jail and was released on 8 May 2025, having been denied bail and making numerous court appearances.

“The nice Randburg judge man who has now became our friend saw right through the bulls*&% as he ruled to strike off the roll their rubbish and nonsensical case after wasting everybody time,” he wrote.
He added: “Also ke bazalwane, I said what I said.

“Xo xo, gossip girl.”

Legal analyst Mr Chakalson raised serious concerns during the commission hearings. He questioned whether it was justified to deploy the Hawks to arrest a blogger who posed no physical threat.

The question struck a nerve online. Many South Africans echoed similar concerns about selective justice and abuse of state resources.

Social media erupted as netizens connected the dots between Khawula’s past exposés and the names now surfacing at the Madlanga commission.

“It’s so funny how a lot of people Musa Khawula talks about are mentioned at the Madlanga Commission, now it’s Ze Nxumalo,” one user posted.

Another wrote: “So basically blogging can get Hawks sent after you if you upset the wrong people? South Africa is wild.”

Others praised Khawula’s resilience, with one tweet reading: “They tried to silence Musa Khawula but ended up exposing themselves at a commission. Karma never misses.”

While Khawula remains one of South Africa’s most polarising online figures, the revelations have reignited debates around cybercrime laws, political interference, and freedom of expression.

As the Madlanga commission continues to hear testimony, many are watching closely. They wonder who else may be named and whether accountability will finally follow.

For now, Musa Khawula remains unapologetic. His arrest is no longer just celebrity gossip, but a case study in power, politics, and the price of speaking loudly online.