By Johnathan Paoli
Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) head Andrea Johnson has denied that IDAC interfered in investigations involving alleged underworld figures Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala and Katiso “KT” Molefe, saying its role was limited to a corruption probe into the Medicare24 police tender.
Testifying before the Madlanga Commission on Tuesday, Johnson rejected claims by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi that IDAC had sought to involve itself in investigations being handled by the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) and Gauteng Organised Crime.
“Mkhwanazi also testified IDAC sought to get involved in matters involving syndicates in Gauteng. He is incorrect on this submission. He alleges that he doesn’t understand why IDAC was getting involved in the matters of Molefe and Matlala as this was dealt with by the PKTT and Gauteng Organised Crime,” Johnson said.
“With regards [to] Vusimusi ‘Cat’ Matlala, IDAC’s only interest arose out of a Section 27 referral from SAPS with regards the unlawful awarding of a tender to his company Medicare24 and allegations of collusion and corruption with Matlala and some SAPS officials,” she added.
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Johnson said that IDAC’s investigation centred solely on the alleged tender irregularities.
“IDAC did get cyber search warrants for the cell-phones and electronic devices of Matlala. These were presented to IDAC by a Lt. Colonel Khumalo. The data was downloaded in his presence and he left with the devices. The information is sought in relation to the tender matter,” she said.
She said investigations into alleged corruption involving senior police officials were neither unprecedented nor extraordinary, claiming that when she joined IDAC there were already investigations into senior police officials underway.
“The point to all of this is that there is nothing new with sound allegations of malfeasance, fraud and corruption implicating the top brass in the SAPS. Not only has it happened in the past, when some of those cases were presented to the courts, we secured convictions,” she said.
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She maintained that these actions fell squarely within IDAC’s mandate to investigate serious corruption offences.
She said there was no overlap with the Molefe investigation and no attempt by IDAC to take over broader organised crime cases.
The commission continues.
