Raid in Umhlanga sparks fresh claims of intimidation
Durban businessman Calvin Mathibeli, founder of the Calvin and Family Group, says he is being deliberately targeted ahead of his expected appearance at the Madlanga Commission, after police raided his offices in Umhlanga on Friday.
Mathibeli, whose business interests include Calvin and Family Security Services, believes the operation was designed to rattle him, stain his name in public, and weaken his position before he gives evidence. Police have not publicly set out the full details of the search, including what exactly they were looking for, whether anything was seized, or whether charges are being considered.
“I won’t be silenced,” Mathibeli says in letter
On Monday morning, Mathibeli penned a strongly worded letter in which he claimed police in KwaZulu-Natal were acting with a mandate to intimidate him before his commission appearance. He said he was “fully aware of the plans being orchestrated against” him, and alleged there were repeated attempts to pressure him and damage his reputation.
In the letter, Mathibeli also suggested there were efforts to frame him through a narrative that could justify harsh action against him. He insisted he would not be bullied “in the name of policing,” and said he was prepared to clear his name, no matter how long the fight takes.
Second raid follows earlier Fourways search
This was not the first time Mathibeli’s offices have faced a police search. He said Friday’s operation was the second such raid, following a previous search at his Fourways offices in Johannesburg last year.
Those developments have intensified attention around him, especially as his name and business interests continue to surface in connection with matters being discussed publicly around the commission. However, the precise legal basis for the most recent raid has not yet been fully explained in public.
Business footprint and public profile
Mathibeli leads a group that operates in the private security sector through Calvin and Family Security Services. He says the company employs more than 5,400 people across South Africa and holds contracts with major entities, including Rand Water among others.
His profile has also grown because of the wider controversy and tension surrounding the Madlanga Commission, where allegations and counter-allegations have increasingly spilled into the public arena, turning testimony and claims into real-world legal and reputational battles.
What happens next
Mathibeli’s expected appearance at the Madlanga Commission is now likely to attract even sharper scrutiny, not only because of what he may say, but because of the climate surrounding his testimony. For now, he maintains the raids form part of an intimidation campaign, while police have not issued a detailed response directly addressing his accusations.
As the commission process continues, the key questions will be whether investigators clarify the purpose and scope of these searches, and whether Mathibeli’s claims of being targeted can be substantiated. Until then, the story sits in a tense space, part legal process, part public spectacle, and deeply personal for a man who says he refuses to back down.