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By Palesa Matlala
- The Ad Hoc Committee has ordered a third draft after ANC, EFF, MK Party and ActionSA MPs said the report was watered down.
- MK Party MP David Skosana says he was blocked, and mocked, when he pushed to summon Major General Feroz Khan as a witness.
A heated political fight has broken out in Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s explosive allegations, after MPs rejected the committee’s latest draft report.
Members from the African National Congress, Economic Freedom Fighters, MK Party and ActionSA all said the report had been watered down and failed to reflect the evidence heard during weeks of testimony.
The committee met on Tuesday to discuss the second draft before it goes to people implicated in it for their response, but MPs demanded major changes instead of adopting it.
Content adviser Christine Silkstone reminded MPs that the committee is not a court and cannot decide guilt. She said the report focuses on governance failures and unresolved allegations that should be referred to other authorities.
The draft found suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s decision on 31 December 2024 followed a seriously flawed governance process, and found serious irregularities in the Medicare24 procurement process. But it stopped short of concluding Mchunu entered a corrupt agreement or acted on behalf of a criminal cartel.
It raised concerns about suspended Deputy National Commissioner Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya but said there was not enough evidence linking him to alleged tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala or political activist Brown Mogotsi.
It made no findings of corruption, perjury or extortion against former Police Minister Bheki Cele over Matlala’s Rolex affidavit, and no personal findings against Investigating Directorate Against Corruption head Advocate Andrea Johnson.
MK Party MP David Skosana said he repeatedly pushed for Crime Intelligence deputy head Major General Feroz Khan to be summoned as a witness, but was blocked by the ANC, EFF and Patriotic Alliance, and was “even called foolish” for persisting. Khan never appeared before the committee, meaning allegations against him were never fully tested.
This follows an EFF complaint earlier this week accusing MK Party MP Vusi Shongwe of separately claiming EFF leader Julius Malema personally blocked Khan’s appearance, a claim the EFF denies.
ANC MP Khusela Sangoni-Diko said the report softened important findings and created doubt over whether classified intelligence documents were leaked.
The ANC wants MPs Dianne Kohler-Barnard and Fadiel Adams referred to Parliament’s Ethics Committee over the report’s handling of that question.
EFF MP Leigh-Ann Mathys said the report seriously weakened the evidence, arguing Mchunu’s directive was irrational and his relationship with Mogotsi and Matlala amounted to improper influence.
ActionSA MP Dereleen James said it “reads more like a summary of what happened than a report that makes findings.”
DA MP Ian Cameron defended the report as comprehensive, and defended Kohler-Barnard’s decision to hand classified intelligence to the Inspector-General of Intelligence.
Committee chairperson Soviet Lekganyane agreed the next draft must be stronger, telling the drafting team it must come out “vigorously” with unambiguous findings.
The team has until Friday to produce a third version before it goes to everyone implicated for response.
Pictured above: Members of Parliament have demanded a stronger report into the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Image source: Parliament
