The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into criminality, political interference, and corruption in the criminal justice system will resume its proceedings on Monday, with an application for the hearings to be conducted in camera.
This was revealed by the commission’s spokesperson, Jeremy Michaels, on Friday.
“In view of the nature of the evidence to be presented when the hearings resume, the evidence leaders will apply for the hearings to be conducted in camera, in a closed session at which the media and members of the public will not be allowed.
“If the commission grants the application, the hearings will then proceed in camera until further notice,” said Michaels.
Crime intelligence head absent
Michaels said national crime intelligence head and project leader of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) SAPS political killings task team Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo will not be testifying on Monday.
“To clarify, Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo will not testify during this period. The commission remains committed to the principles of transparency and accountability. Should circumstances permit a change in the mode of hearing, the media and the public will
be informed accordingly,” said Michaels.
Meanwhile, Michaels said the commission has issued Rule 3 notices to several persons of interest who were implicated by KZN provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in his testimony before the commission.
“Rule 3 provides for the commission to invite or compel persons of interest to testify before it. The Commission will make further announcements regarding the dates of appearance of these witnesses in due course,” said Michaels.
The commission’s public hearings, which are taking place at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria, are chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
Last week, the Madlanga commission sat for two days with Khumalo testifying from Monday to Tuesday. The commission adjourned last Wednesday due to Khumalo’s ill health.
In his testimony last week, Khumalo said there is a ‘Big Five’ drug cartel in South Africa that operates nationally and internationally. He said the ‘Big Five’ drug cartel has its head office in Gauteng.
Khumalo said controversial tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and murder-accused Katiso “KT” Molefe are members of the drug cartel.
He said the cartel also deals in contract killings, cross-border vehicle hijackings, kidnappings, tender fraud, and extortion mainly related to drug trafficking.
Friends in high places
Khumalo said police have records of WhatsApp chats that show communication between alleged drug cartel member Matlala and some government officials. Amongst others, Khumalo said that KZN Hawks head Maj-Gen Lesetja Senona leaked confidential, sensitive police information to Matlala via WhatsApp.
He said there are WhatsApp exchanges between Matlala and Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department acting chief Julius Mkhwanazi. Mkhwanazi [not related to Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi] is currently on special leave.
Khumalo showed the commission WhatsApp exchanges between police minister Senzo Mchunu’s comrade Brown Mogotsi and Matlala.
The communication between Matlala and Mogotsi showed that Matlala paid for the flights and accommodation of eight ANC members linked to Mogotsi so that they could attend the ANC’s presidential gala dinner that took place in Cape Town on January 10 this year.
Khumalo said he believes an organised criminal cartel influenced the ministry of police to take the decision to disband the KZN SAPS political killings task team.
The commission was established by President Cyril Ramaphosa on July 13 after KZN police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s explosive media briefing on July 6 where he said politicians in parliament, police officers, metro police officers, correctional service officials, prosecutors, and members of the judiciary in Gauteng are part of a criminal syndicate in Gauteng, and they are controlled by drug cartels and business people in Gauteng.
