NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila stated that the primary reason for the delay is linked to Khawula’s current legal issues in Gauteng.
Khawula was apprehended earlier in 2025 on a separate attempted murder charge arising from an event at Mponeng Mine on February 20, 2021.
Although he was subsequently released, he continues to face several criminal allegations.
In an interview with Daily Sun on February 18, 2026, Ntabazalila confirmed the warrant in the Western Cape is still active but has not yet been executed.
“The NPA can confirm that a warrant was authorised for the accused to be arrested, but that warrant of arrest must still be executed,” he stated.
Ntabazalila noted that carrying out the warrant at this time could result in logistical difficulties, as Khawula would require transportation between Gauteng and Vredenburg amid ongoing legal proceedings in both areas.
“There’s no definite date. His Gauteng matter complicates the situation as the accused will have to be transported between Vredenburg and Gauteng the whole time,” he said.
He added that legal authorities in the Western Cape believe Khawula’s case in Gauteng should be resolved before he is transferred to Vredenburg to address the murder charges.
“The senior public prosecutor of Vredenburg has suggested that his Gauteng matter be finalised first before he is sent down to respond to the charges he is facing in Vredenburg,” Ntabazalila stated.
