By Johnathan Paoli
Parliament’s ad-hoc committee probing allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi is set for a pivotal week of testimony, beginning with senior South African Police Service (SAPS) officials before turning to alleged criminal figure Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala later in the week.
Meeting on Monday evening, the committee resolved to begin with the appearance of SAPS Chief Financial Officer, Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, whose testimony will kickstart proceedings on Tuesday.
This will be followed by Matlala’s testimony from Wednesday through Friday.
The committee also confirmed that the submitted testimony of Deputy National Commissioner for Policing, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, will be evaluated first on paper, after which the committee will decide whether she must appear in person or provide additional information.
The updated schedule builds on earlier plans to shift the inquiry’s hearings to the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre in Pretoria, where Matlala is being held.
The move is intended to prioritise witness safety and safeguard the integrity of the inquiry.
Matlala, widely described as an alleged tender kingpin with links to politically connected criminal networks, will testify before the committee in an open session beginning Wednesday.
The businessman, arrested in April, faces charges relating to the 2023 attempted murder of actress and former partner Tebogo Thobejane, and is suspected of involvement in fraudulent transactions linked to the Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital, among other crimes.
His testimony is expected to shed light on multiple threads raised by Mkhwanazi’s claims, including alleged criminal interference in policing structures, whistle-blower targeting, and the possible manipulation of state institutions through political protection networks.
While Matlala remains the central figure of interest for the week, Dimpane’s appearance on Tuesday adds financial and administrative depth to the inquiry’s broader investigative scope.
The list of witnesses for next week include Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo, Brown Mogotsi, Paul O’Sullivan, Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi, former Ekurhuleni metro police chief Robert McBride and former police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane.
Former acting national police commissioner Lieutenant General Lesetja Mothiba, the committee decided would only have to submit a written statement.
Parliament’s committee condemned the message allegedly sent by O’Sullivan to Cedrick Nkabinde, Chief of Staff to suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, describing it as unacceptable.
Members resolved to launch an immediate investigation into the message and explore possible legal sanctions.
The committee’s work continues under an intensifying cloud of concern regarding its administrative capacity.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema earlier wrote to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza warning that the inquiry is at risk of becoming compromised due to what he terms “severely inadequate” institutional support.
Echoing frustrations shared by several MPs, Malema said the inquiry has now reached a point where its operational weaknesses threaten both fairness and legality.
In his letter, Malema argued that evidence leader Norman Arendse is left to manage the inquiry’s heavy volume of complex documentation with only two junior staff members.
Malema warned that deficiencies are already evident in the form of poorly drafted witness statements, missing or incorrect information, and unresolved discrepancies that should have been picked up much earlier in the process.
He invoked Section 9(3) of the Committee’s Terms of Reference, which empowers the chairperson to urgently secure additional resources when needed.
Parliament, he said, has not complied with this requirement, resulting in workflow bottlenecks, compromised documentation standards, and rising risks of procedural unfairness and legal challenge.
He dismissed any suggestion that resource constraints justify the shortcomings, noting Parliament’s frequent ability to fund travel, conferences and dialogues.
As the hearings move inside a correctional facility for the first time since the inquiry began, the process continues to be one of the most closely watched political and institutional investigations in recent years.
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