Fadiel Adams Challenges JP Smith to Public Drug Test
3 min read
Welcome back! Log in to keep reading without ads.
National Coloured Congress (NCC) leader Fadiel Adams has challenged City of Cape Town Safety and Security Mayoral Committee Member JP Smith to undergo a public drug test following rumours alleging cocaine use.
The challenge was made in a Facebook video posted on Sunday, 25 October 2026, in which Adams questioned whether Smith used cocaine and called on him to address the allegations through a publicly conducted test.
Adams argued that the allegations warranted scrutiny because Smith is responsible for the City of Cape Town’s safety and security portfolio. He also criticised Smith’s decisions and accused him of making allegations against him without providing proof.
Adams proposed that both men undergo drug testing in public, with their samples collected and the results made available before they leave. His proposal was presented as a direct challenge to Smith to address the rumours.
Smith dismisses the challenge
Smith rejected the challenge when approached for comment, choosing instead to question allegations concerning the funding of Adams’ political party.
Smith referred to claims by former members of Adams’ party that he had received money from gangsters to fund the organisation. These remain allegations and should not be treated as established facts.
The exchange has brought renewed attention to the strained relationship between the two political figures, with both making accusations against the other.
Dispute over allegations concerning Adams
The latest confrontation comes amid separate allegations surrounding Adams’ legal representation following his arrest in May 2026 by the Political Killings Task Team.
Questions were raised over whether Adams had approached a lawyer reportedly known for representing individuals accused of gangsterism. Adams denied initiating contact with the lawyer, saying the lawyer had offered to represent him before they had spoken.
Adams also said he could not afford the lawyer’s fees and the associated travel and accommodation costs for proceedings in KwaZulu-Natal. He subsequently appointed local lawyers.
Adams accused the Democratic Alliance (DA) of orchestrating the allegations surrounding the lawyer. The claims and denials form part of the wider political dispute but do not establish wrongdoing by either party.
Adams’ criminal case
Adams was arrested in May and taken to KwaZulu-Natal, where he faces three counts of fraud and two counts of defeating the ends of justice. The charges relate to allegations involving interviews with and recordings of awaiting-trial prisoners at Westville Correctional Centre.
On 15 May 2026, the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court granted Adams bail of R10,000. His bail conditions included reporting to Mitchells Plain police station twice a week.
The charges against Adams are allegations, and their existence does not amount to a conviction.
Previous public drug-test challenge
Adams has previously challenged another Democratic Alliance figure to undergo a public drug test. He made a similar challenge to DA social media personality and Ward 111 candidate Cedric Laguma during a live Facebook debate hosted by Cape Flats Stories.
It remains unclear whether Smith will reconsider Adams’ latest challenge. No publicly confirmed drug-test results involving Smith were established in the reports about the exchange.
The dispute highlights the continuing political tensions between Adams and Smith, with the latest confrontation centred on Adams’ demand for a public drug test and Smith’s response questioning the funding of Adams’ party.
- Dashcam Footage Shows Woman and Three Others Allegedly Robbing E-Hailing Driver
- WATCH: Six Killed in Multi-Vehicle Crash Involving Two Trucks and Bakkie on N3 at Van Reenen’s Pass
- Missing 44-Year-Old Woman Found Dead in Shallow Grave Near Keimoes
- Man Dies After Allegedly Jumping From 16th Floor of Pretoria Hotel
- Akilesh Gupta Back in Court Over Fatal Lichtenburg Mall Crash That Killed Crime Intelligence Officer
