By Johnathan Paoli
South Africa’s top cop, General Fannie Masemola, will face the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Monday, in Pretoria.
Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels confirmed on Sunday that the national police commissioner would be testifying.
Masemola’s testimony is expected to draw intense interest across political, legal, and civil society circles, and comes after the testimony of KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Mkhwanazi — whose publicly made allegations in July that the criminal justice system had been infiltrated by criminal networks that included politicians — was the first person to testify when the commission started last week. He concluded his testimony on Friday.
Among Mkhwanazi’s claims was that former police minister Senzo Mchunu was “influenced” to disband the Political Killings Task Team, as it had come across information that implicated politically-connected individuals in organised crime.
Among other claims against Mchunu — who was placed on special leave following Mkhwanazi’s July 6 media briefing — was that he was an associate of businessman Brown Mogotsi, who appeared to have known that the task team was to be disbanded before senior SAPS officials did, and was also in possession of classified police intelligence.
Mchunu initially denied knowing Mogotsi in Parliament, but later acknowledged the man as his “comrade from North West.”
Mkhwanazi also drew connections between Mchunu, Mogotsi and tenderpreneur and murder-accused, Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala. Mkhwanazi said Mogotsi had told Matlala via WhatsApp that the Political Killings Task Team was being disbanded, and would no longer “harass” him.
Mkhwanazi told the commission there was a plot against Masemola and senior police officers, to stop them from exposing the criminal ties that had infiltrated the police service.
He said that each allegation, considered alone, may not be conclusive, but together reveal “a developing pattern of cartel infiltration of policing and the criminal justice system”.
The public will be able to follow Masemola’s testimony via a livestream on the Commission’s website, https://criminaljusticecommission.org.za, and across major broadcast, print, and digital platforms.
Members of the public who wish to attend in person have been reminded to bring a valid Identity Document or Driver’s Licence to gain entry to the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria, where the hearings are being held.
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