'Corruption can never be top secret' says Malema
Julius Malema during a Parliament Ad Hoc committee hearing.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers
The Ad Hoc Committee of Parliament, investigating allegations by SAPS KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, is seeking clarity on Inspector-General of Intelligence (IGI) Imtiaz Fazel's appearance.
In Monday's meeting, the committee addressed housekeeping matters, including rescheduling appearances for National Commissioner Fannie Masemola and Mkhwanazi, the delay in President Cyril Ramaphosa's response, and the status of a case against O’Sullivan.
Most of Monday's meeting focused on the debate surrounding the appearance of Fazel, where several committee members debated the current limitations surrounding whether he could appear.
Fazel was suspended by President Cyril Ramaphosa in October pending a decision in an investigation by Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI) into the Inspector-General’s conduct.
Inspector-General of Intelligence Imtiaz Ahmed Fazel was suspended in October.
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Acting police minister, Professor Firoz Cachalia, had shared Fazel’s classified report with the committee.
Previously, Ad Hoc Committee evidence leader Norman Arendse SC said that several attempts were made with the assistance of the Ad Hoc Committee chair to arrange a meeting with the chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence, which didn't happen last year.
EFF MP Julius Malema voiced his concern in Monday's meeting that Fazel should not be prohibited from appearing before the committee.
“We are not called an Ad Hoc Committee for no reason, and it's not like a police committee calling the IGI, who can actually appear before the intelligence committee.
“Therefore, we cannot want to behave like we are a special committee, which has a lifespan and which has to deal with more complex matters. There was nothing whatsoever that was asked, which compromised the integrity of the crime intelligence. Nothing,” Malema said.
“But he was asked questions... Corruption can never be a top secret. You cannot classify corruption as top secret,” Malema said.
Ultimately, the chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee, Soviet Lekganyane, said that the legal team and evidence leaders will get in contact with Fazel, and take it from there.
“They will get into contact with him… The person who knows their conditions of service (best) is the IGI, who is currently suspended, and he is the one who must respond to our call when we say he must appear before us. The evidence leaders will discuss with him, and decide which day will be possible for him to appear before us,” Lekganyane said.
The committee also heard that the Parliamentary legal team are currently collecting affidavits regarding opening a case against forensic analyst Paul O’Sullivan after he walked out of the Ad Hoc Committee hearing.
The committee also heard that President Cyril Ramaphosa has requested that he be able to respond to the questions posed to him by the Ad Hoc Committee by March 16.
Today's proceedings will resume with the evidence of Acting Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection and Divisional Commissioner for Detective and Forensic Services, Lt-Gen Hilda Senthumule, and also see the return of Member of Parliament, Fadiel Adams, who will be questioned by the committee members.