DEPUTY Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has dismissed an application by State Security Minister Ayanda Dlodlo to postpone the testimony of acting Director-General Loyiso Jafta at the State Capture Commission.
Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, representing Dlodlo, told the commission that the minister has got concerns that today’s evidence might compromise National Security and that she has only received Jafta’s affidavit on Monday night.
But Zondo held that the evidence submitted by Dlodlo does not justify the need for an adjournment.
“It seems to me that there has been enough time from the moment that she got Mr Jafta’s affidavit from last evening to this morning, for her to actually say ‘my concern that Mr Jafta’s evidence may threaten national security is based on the following, which is the following in the affidavit,” said Zondo before dismissing the application.
“As things presently stand, you [Ntsebeza] said the minister had concern that Mr Jafta’s evidence will or may compromise national security. Nothing appears to support that in your argument.”
“I have read the affidavit. I did not see anything that threatens national security. The argument then moved to terms of the act that consultation between the minister and the DG is supposed to take place, but there is no such reference in the act. I am very alive to the sensitivity of matters relating to national intelligence. As things stand, I am going to dismiss the application.”
(SOURCE: INSIDE POLITICS)
