The evidence of former Independent Police Directorate (Ipid) Robert McBride was off to a rocky start on Tuesday when members of the Ad Hoc committee investigating political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system fumed at him for submitting an incomplete CV.
McBride is appearing before the committee to give evidence pertaining to, among other things, his role in the rendition case against former Hawks boss General Anwa Dramat and suspended deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya.
Paul O’Sullivan saga
He is also due to explain himself on allegations that he weaponised Ipid against enemies of controversial private forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan.
But his appearance hit turbulence from the start when it was revealed that the CV he submitted as part of his bundle was in fact incomplete.
The CV did not mention his current position as Director of the Foreign Branch of the State Security Agency as well as his past experience as a member of parliament for the ANC.
Members of the committee took exception to this, which they viewed as McBride’s “indifference” and an attitude of a person who did not take them seriously.
McBride, a self-proclaimed cadre and member of the ANC, explained that he did not have time to update his CV. He said he did not have legal assistance to guide him for his submission before appearing before the committee.
At pains to explain incomplete CV
“I am not allowed to say what my employment is,” was McBride’s answer to an opening question by evidence leader Advocate Norman Arendse SC. He added that “that is an old CV before the evidence leader”.
Committee member and Action SA’s Dereleen James could not hold herself from interjecting. “It is too early for us to be told that your (McBride) CV is outdated,” she said.
“That means we have a falsified statement before us and we just continue as if it is acceptable.”
Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party’s David Sikhosana joined the bandwagon. He insisted that McBride was obligated to state his current place of employment. McBride said he was legally banned from being the one who states where he works, although the same was in the public domain.
Funny gestures answering questions
As if this was not enough chaos already, committee member ANC’s Xola Nqola complained about McBride’s demeanour. He was also not impressed by McBride’s “funny gestures” of him laughing when answering questions.
MK Party’s Sibonelo Nomvalo went to town expanding on Nqola’s complaint.
“I want to confirm that the latter speaker is not hallucinating. We have made a similar observation. The witness was making funny reactions using his face, he did that twice,” Nomvalo said.
“We cannot leave it unchallenged because he will also do it to me. And when he does it to me, there will be confrontation. He must be stopped from the onset,” charged an irate Nomvalo.
“Secondly, we cannot downplay what the witness has done to us as this committee. He voluntarily submitted a wrong CV. And for him to prepare the right CV, he does not need legal advice. His excuse is invalid.”
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF’s) Leigh-Ann Mathys was triggered to go back to the mannerism of McBride. She found it problematic and lambasted the man sharply.
Likened to Marry de Haas testimony
“It must be noted that Mister McBride is very indifferent. It tells us that Mister McBride is not taking this committee seriously, he is indifferent. And It gives ‘Oh, you called me here and I’m here’. It is giving the Marry de Haas vibes. We are not going to tolerate that behaviour, Mister McBride. Please take us as seriously as parliament. You work for SSA as a whole director.
“Can we be taken seriously as a country even? It is not parliament, it is the people of South Africa. You cannot be in the position you are in and not even give us the correct CV. Even to address us in the manner you are, it is wrong. You are talking to people of South Africa through us, we represent them. They voted for us.”
McBride’s testimony, scheduled for two days, continues.
