Suspended KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona is set to testify before the Madlanga Commission again on Friday, after the commission granted a postponement and ordered him to submit his witness statement by midnight on Tuesday.

Senona appeared before the commission on Monday morning under subpoena, despite not being scheduled to take the witness stand.

His testimony had previously been postponed, and evidence leaders informed the inquiry that scheduling arrangements now place his appearance on 5 June.

Evidence leader Advocate Mahlape Sello told the commission that Senona’s attendance was required because he remained under subpoena.

“The result of the schedule is that General Senona is anticipated to take the stand only on the 5th of June, but because he’s under subpoena and order by the Chair to be present today, he’s availed himself and he appears with our request that you stand him down to the 5th of June,” Sello said.

Senona’s legal representative, Advocate Reghana Tulk, said the general’s legal team was still preparing his sworn witness statement and required additional time to engage with documents and evidence recently provided by the commission.

“We’re not in a position to file the statement today, and we would seek an extension in respect of that. We would seek an indulgence from the Commission to file the statement by close of business on the 3rd of June, in anticipation and in preparation for the testimony to be delivered by the Major General on the 5th,” she said.

Tulk raised concerns about three operative summonses issued to Senona, saying clarity was needed because the legal consequences of ignoring a commission subpoena are significant.

“The concern is that there must be finality in terms of the document that he’s required to testify on so that he knows which evidence to testify on,” she said.

Sello responded that confusion arose because of an administrative error which resulted in the incorrect subpoena being reissued on 19 May.

Commission chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga said the inquiry needed sufficient time to prepare evidence bundles once Senona’s statement was received.

“Our experience is that once a statement is filed, the evidence leaders usually have to prepare bundles of documents that relate to the statement. You have basically the whole of today. You have the whole of tomorrow. And that should give you, your instructing attorneys, and the general enough time to prepare and finalise the statement,” he said.

Madlanga ruled that Senona’s witness statement must be submitted by midnight on Tuesday, ahead of his appearance on Friday.

The commission also confirmed that a Lieutenant Colonel Duma (previously known as Witness I), will testify on Tuesday regarding the Port Shepstone drug bust.

His evidence will be heard partially in camera, with audio broadcasts permitted but media prohibited from showing his identity or image publicly.

Meanwhile, controversial businessman Suliman Carrim was granted a postponement after his legal team submitted a medical report indicating that he remains unfit to testify.

Following discussions between the commission’s legal team and Carrim’s representatives, an agreement was reached for him to appear before the inquiry on 25 June.

Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels said the inquiry still intends to conclude hearings by the end of July and submit its final report to the Presidency in August.

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Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating alleged criminal infiltration and political interference in South Africa’s criminal justice system, will resume public hearings on Tuesday.

Pressure is mounting on committee members to make progress while tackling a ballooning witness list, procedural delays, and a deadline that now seems impossible to meet.

When proceedings recommence, Deputy Police Minister Polly Boshielo will take the stand, followed by Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia on Wednesday and an official from the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) later in the week.

The testimony of IDAC will be the committee’s first direct engagement with prosecutors working on corruption cases related to the probe.

The week is viewed as pivotal for the committee, which has already heard testimony from some of the country’s most senior law enforcement officials, including KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, whose allegations of corruption and criminal behaviour in the upper echelons of the criminal justice system led to the establishment of the committee and the Madlanga Commission. 

Thus far, senior law authorities to have testified include National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, suspended Deputy National Commissioner Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, Former Police Minister Bheki Cele, and Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale.

Committee chairperson Soviet Lekganyane has made it clear that despite a recent one-month extension, the inquiry will not conclude by its revised deadline of 28 November.

He said the committee would formally request another extension from National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza. 

Lekganyan said that it would be a gross injustice to dismiss submissions due to time constraints.

The committee was originally expected to wrap up by the end of October, but the scale of evidence, volume of witnesses, and complexity of allegations have made that impossible.

Members agreed that a status report should be sent to the Speaker outlining their progress and motivating the need for more time to complete the inquiry thoroughly.

The committee’s evidence leader, Advocate Norman Arendse (SC), has confirmed that the testimonies of several key witnesses are still pending.

Among them are Crime Intelligence boss Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo and Chief of Staff in the Police Ministry, Cedrick Nkabinde, as well as figures linked to the broader corruption narrative, such as political fixer Brown Mogotsi, tenderpreneur Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala – currently in jail after being denied bail on charges that include attempted murder – and forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan.

Arendse said that the committee would need to carefully manage scheduling and security logistics for certain witnesses, particularly Matlala. 

Lekganyane has classified Matlala as a “category A witness”, agreeing that special arrangements will be needed for his testimony.

Another key decision taken last week was to recall Mkhwanazi after all remaining witnesses had testified.

 MPs from across the political spectrum agreed that the provincial commissioner must return to clarify several issues, including his withdrawal of allegations made against Cele.

uMkhonto weSizwe Party MP Sibonelo Nomvalo said Mkhwanazi’s return was essential. 

Nomvalo said that despite Mkhwanazi withdrawing the allegations against Cele, there were “other issues” from new testimony that needed more clarity. 

Mathale earlier in the week reignited debate over Mchunu’s decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), a move he described as impractical and poorly executed.

He said the decision was never discussed or approved within the ministry, adding that the team’s work was vital in combating politically motivated murders in KwaZulu-Natal.

Behind the scenes, committee staff are still sifting through an enormous backlog of public submissions, nearly 300 in total, many of which include whistle-blower statements and NGO reports.

The documentation must be authenticated before it can be included in the committee’s final report, a process that could take weeks.

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