By Johnathan Paoli
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has heard conflicting statements by National Coloured Congress MP Fadiel Adams regarding allegations involving the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), raising questions about whether the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) relied on a different Section 27 referral affidavit from the one before the commission.
The issue emerged on Monday as evidence leader Mahlape Sello questioned IDAC head Andrea Johnson about supplementary statements obtained from Adams after his original Section 27 referral affidavit had been submitted.
Reading from one of Adams’ supplementary affidavits, Sello referred to allegations that secret service funds had been used to procure resources for the PKTT in KwaZulu-Natal.
“On or about early October 2024, I received information anonymously surrounding alleged crimes emanating from the Division Crime Intelligence of the South African Police Service (SAPS). Amongst the information, it was alleged that secret service funds were used to purchase resources for the Political Killings Task Team, based in the KwaZulu-Natal province. This task team was previously led by the current Divisional Commissioner of Crime Intelligence, Lt Gen Khumalo, who has close ties with the former Minister of Police, Mr Bheki Cele,” the affidavit states.
The affidavit further alleges that resources procured under the banner of the task team benefited Cele and others.
However, Sello pointed out that none of those allegations appeared in the Section 27 referral affidavit Johnson said she had relied upon when authorising IDAC’s investigation.
She questioned why investigator Mantsha Raphesu, prosecutor Drushantha Ramsamy and chief investigator Dylan Perumal would have taken a detailed statement on the PKTT if the referral affidavit before the commission contained no reference to it.
“Short of lunacy, why would they have done so?” Sello asked.
Johnson replied: “It makes no sense.”
Sello suggested investigators had been working from a different version of Adams’ referral affidavit.
“You recall this morning I asked how many Section 27 affidavits there were? The witnesses who will testify and who took the statements are going to say that the original Section 27 affidavit contained allegations against the PKTT, which would explain why they took a specific A1 statement regarding the PKTT. But we know that our Section 27 affidavit contains no reference to the PKTT at all. So I go back to my question: How many Section 27 affidavits are there?” she asked.
Johnson responded that the only Section 27 affidavit in her possession was dated 21 November 2024.
The exchange raised the possibility that multiple versions of Adams’ referral affidavit may have circulated within IDAC.
Sello later referred Johnson to her previous testimony before Parliament’s ad hoc committee, where she said IDAC had not been aware of any criminal investigations involving the PKTT.
Johnson explained that she had not seen the supplementary affidavit containing the PKTT allegations when she appeared before Parliament.
“That is why when there were utterances that IDAC was involved in PKTT matters, I was taken aback because, according to me, there was nothing for us to investigate regarding the PKTT, regardless of what allegations may have surfaced,” she said.
The commission also questioned Johnson about allegations relating to the procurement of a forklift using Crime Intelligence funds.
Johnson conceded the procurement issue fell outside IDAC’s mandate.
When Commissioner Sandile Khumalo observed that the evidence appeared to describe a supplier being paid but failing to deliver the forklift, he asked how that constituted fraud or corruption.
Johnson agreed that it did not.
Commission chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga said the matter appeared to amount to “a breach of contract, a civil and not criminal matter”, with Johnson agreeing.
The commission also revisited the authenticity of Adams’ disputed supplementary statements after earlier voice notes from Ramsamy and Raphesu cast doubt on statements allegedly commissioned by Perumal on 6 January 2025.
Sello questioned whether the commission had been presented with an incorrect or fraudulent Section 27 referral affidavit after both Raphesu and Ramsamy indicated they were unfamiliar with the version relied upon by Perumal.
Pressed by Commissioner Khumalo on which referral affidavit she had considered in December 2024, Johnson acknowledged that she could not say with certainty.
The commission further heard that Johnson was unable to produce a response she believed she had sent to suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu because her laptop, containing documents dating back to 2007, was stolen at Windhoek Airport in January 2025.
At the start of the afternoon session, Madlanga disclosed that an individual had deliberately revealed the identity of a witness who testified anonymously before the commission.
Describing the disclosure as a serious criminal offence that undermines the integrity of the inquiry and could endanger witnesses, Madlanga announced that the commission would institute criminal proceedings against the person responsible.
Proceedings adjourned until Tuesday, when Johnson is expected to continue her testimony.
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