Chief of staff in the police ministry, Cedrick Nkabinde, told the ad hoc committee that he began communicating with controversial businessman Brown Mogotsi in August 2024.
The committee cut short Nkabinde’s earlier appearance after he made a confusing statement about his first acquaintance with Mogotsi.
Nkabinde had told the committee that his statement was made up because his devices were seized.
He explained that Mchunu, who is on special leave, had asked him to set up a meeting with Mogotsi during the illegal mining crisis in Stilfontein, when miners were stranded underground.
He claimed that several meetings were scheduled but never took place, including one scheduled for September 30, 2024, which had to be cancelled due to Mchunu allegedly having an urgent matter to attend to.
When asked why Mogotsi attended a meeting about policing issues, Nkabinde responded that Mchunu intended to visit Stilfontein and wanted to gain insight from local leaders before going there.
Meetings only for Stilfontein crisis
Nkabinde stated: “Brown Mogotsi was required by the arrangement to bring some local leaders, but I don’t know who they are or their names.”
In the previous committee meeting, Mogotsi claimed that the other attendees were Mchunu’s fellow colleagues.
He said he never asked about the meeting, but he was requested to convene another meeting with the same people.
The meeting was scheduled for one hour at the Pretoria official residence on February 3, 2025.
However, Mogotsi was late and explained that the other people he had to come with had been summoned to Luthuli House, the ANC headquarters in Johannesburg.
“From my observation, these meeting arrangements were only for Stilfontein.”
After arranging all these meetings, Nkabinde said he has not seen Mogotsi come to the minister or facilitate any meeting for the minister to see Mogotsi.
