A Brigadier General attached to the Defence Intelligence Division of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has been arrested on a charge of corruption involving R1.5 million.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said Johannes Prince Mkabela (53) appeared briefly before the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on Monday, with the matter postponed to 20 February 2026 for bail investigations.
Mkabela allegedly met on 13 February with an investigating officer looking into a case of intimidation against the accused. “During the meeting, the accused allegedly paid the investigating officer R50 000 as a deposit and promised to pay the outstanding balance by September 2026, in exchange for the investigating officer to destroy the case docket against him. Following the exchange, members of the Madlanga Commission Task Team arrested the accused,” NPA Regional Spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana stated.
Mkabela was serving as Director Special Acquisition within Defence Intelligence at the time of his arrest. He started his military career as a volunteer in the then South African Defence Force, joining in 1989. After becoming a qualified paramedic and instructor, he served as an avionics technician in the SA Air Force.
He went back to the South African Military Health Service (SAMHS) as a Corporal, and joined 7 Medical Battalion Group, whose main task is to render medical support to the South African Airborne and Special Forces. In 1996 Mkabela was promoted to Lieutenant and at 7 Medical Battalion Group became Officer Commanding training. He was later transferred to the Presidential Protection Unit, where he was in charge of the medical unit.
After two deployments to Darfur under Joint Operations command and some more time with the SAMHS, Mkabela was recruited to Defence Intelligence in 2010.
