President Cyril Ramaphosa’s inner circle has been dragged into the Madlanga Commission’s explosive probe.
His close confidante and ANC National Executive Committee member Bejani Chauke has been hauled to explain his secret WhatsApp relationship with the late Mpumalanga taxi boss Jotham “King Mswazi” Msibi, whose phone has exposed a shadow network reaching into state security and the Presidency itself.
Chauke was served with a Rule 10.6 notice on Tuesday, a formal directive that compels him to respond to allegations before he can be implicated in the commission’s findings. He has 10 days to answer.
Investigators want him to account for a trove of WhatsApp messages with Msibi from 2022 and 2023, when he was serving as Ramaphosa’s political adviser in the Presidency, sources close to the commission told Africa Daily.
The notice follows a forensic analysis of Msibi’s cellphone that uncovered a sprawling web linking the taxi boss to police officers, politicians and senior state officials.
At the centre of the storm are leaked messages allegedly containing discussions about state security, confidential presidential briefings, the movements of senior crime intelligence bosses and substantial financial gains linked to government tenders.
Evidence already before the commission suggests the exchanges point to an influential network operating outside formal state structures, with tentacles in governance, intelligence and procurement.
Chauke’s name surfaced during that trawl, but it was not the first time.
Former Hawks head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya previously testified that Chauke had accompanied controversial forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan to request updates on the sensitive Phala Phala investigation – the burglary at Ramaphosa’s Limpopo farm that almost ended his presidency.
That testimony placed Chauke at the intersection of intelligence, criminal investigations and presidential protection.
Now the commission wants answers directly from him.
“The commission is expected to scrutinise messages between Chauke and Msibi,” a source said. Investigators will probe what was discussed, what confidential information was shared, and what benefits, if any, flowed from the relationship.
Chauke, a businessman with deep political links who now sits on the ANC’s highest decision-making body between conferences, is reportedly consulting his legal team. It is unclear whether he will respond in writing by Friday or be compelled to appear for public testimony.
A Rule 10.6 notice is not a finding of guilt. Under commission rules it is issued when a person is likely to be implicated and must be given a chance to respond. But for someone as close to Ramaphosa as Chauke, the political fallout is explosive.
For years Chauke operated as one of Ramaphosa’s most trusted political fixers – a strategist, fundraiser and gatekeeper. His presence in the Presidency gave him access to classified briefings and the inner workings of state security.
The commission is now asking whether that access was discussed or shared with Msibi, a man who styled himself as a taxi boss but whose phone records suggest influence far beyond the taxi rank.
Investigators are particularly interested in whether the chats touched on presidential schedules, senior crime intelligence officials and tender opportunities – allegations that, if proven, would point to the misuse of proximity to power.
The ANC has not commented on the notice. The Presidency has also remained silent, wary of being dragged into a commission whose mandate cuts to the heart of state capture, intelligence abuse and political interference in law enforcement.
Chauke has not publicly denied the relationship. His lawyers are expected to file a response within the 10-day deadline.