By Johnathan Paoli
Parliament’s ad-hoc committee sharply questioned the credibility, coherence, and evidentiary basis of testimony delivered on Wednesday by mechanical engineer Pheladi Machola, who described herself as a long-term cybercrime victim.
Members repeatedly characterised her submission as “all over the place” and lacking verifiable evidence, while insisting they could only act on properly tested material rather than unsubstantiated allegations.
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Machola, who has worked in the mining sector and previously lived in the Northern Cape, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, appeared before the committee after requesting to do so anonymously.
However, once she entered the chamber, she opted to testify in person.
Her appearance followed years of unsuccessful attempts, she said, to obtain progress updates on a cybercrime case she opened in Postmasburg in 2021.
Committee members immediately raised concerns about the procedural and evidentiary framework of her testimony.
Some MPs such as PA’s Ashley Sauls and Wouter Wessels from the FF+ noted that several documents circulated to them before the sitting, including a sworn affidavit and an unsigned anonymous statement, were not properly linked to the witness, leaving them uncertain which materials could legitimately be considered.
MKP MP Sibonelo Nomvalo stressed that she had not been sworn in, and therefore could not make allegations against individuals without evidence being formally presented and tested.
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Chairperson Soviet Lekganyane repeatedly intervened, reminding the witness that the committee could not record untested claims or names of alleged perpetrators.
“The law is not concerned with facts, but with evidence,” he said.
He instructed her to focus on the practical relief she sought, namely, that Parliament intervene to secure updates on her stalled police investigations.
Additional members echoed the Chair’s concerns.
MKP MP David Skosana said the documentation provided to them lacked context and clarity.
“We are given papers…we don’t know whose these are, or what relevance they have to this witness,” he said.
He warned that the committee risked establishing an improper precedent if it accepted testimony detached from any verified submission.
DA MP Damien Klopper cautioned that the testimony moved between different provinces, companies and time periods without coherence.
“There’s a lot of areas, Postmasburg, KwaZulu-Natal, Cape Town, and whatever. I was already confused,” Klopper said.
Despite these reservations, MPs acknowledged the seriousness of her distress, and commended her courage and assured her that Parliament would follow up on her outstanding case numbers with the National Commissioner and IPID, and revert to her with progress updates.
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Beyond procedural concerns, Machola’s core allegation is that she has been subjected to sustained cybercrime and digital surveillance since 2019.
She identified former Anglo-America Regional Director Themba Mkhwanazi, whom she described as the former CEO of Anglo American’s Technical and Logistics division (TLC), as the alleged perpetrator.
Committee leadership, however, formally disallowed her from naming him in the record because her claims had not been tested under oath.
According to Machola, she previously worked for companies allegedly linked to him, and during her time in KZN, her movements and online activity were “monitored constantly”.
She said she submitted electronic devices to police for analysis, yet they remain in police possession without feedback.
She further asserted that two investigating officers assigned to her matter resigned or retired, leaving the case dormant.
Machola told MPs she believed Mkhwanazi communicated with her indirectly via platforms such as Google, TikTok, SABC broadcasts, and radio segments, allegedly crafting “narratives” and monitoring public sentiment.
She claimed she found his cellphone number online while tracking alleged underworld, linked digital communication affecting cybercrime victims.
She also described periods of “panic” on his part ahead of the 2024 elections.
Lekganyane emphasised that Parliament could not accept these allegations as fact, reiterating that the committee’s role was limited to securing updates on her case and ensuring the police act on any verifiable evidence she provides.
Machola additionally claimed that a 6 July 2025 press briefing issued by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi was intended to block progress in her case, or obstruct the potential arrest of her alleged perpetrator.
This assertion triggered further procedural objections, with MPs stating that such allegations could not be entertained without sworn testimony and corroborating evidence.
The committee ultimately refused to record those claims, directing her instead to provide case numbers and supporting material so that Parliament could formally request updates from the SAPS and IPID.
The committee continues.
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