MPs divided over Fadiel Adams' controversial testimony in Ad Hoc Committee
National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams returned to Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee on Tuesday evening.
Image: File
Members of Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee, investigating allegations against SAPS KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, are divided over the testimony of Fadiel Adams, leader of the National Coloured Congress (NCC).
His testimony followed that of Lieutenant-General Hilda Senthumule, who spoke about the removal of dockets, alleged crime kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s donations to the SAPS National Excellence Awards, and claims of Matlala paying for her Brazilian butt lift (BBL).
Adams had laid bare the personal toll he had endured since he uncovered a cache of classified documents implicating top crime intelligence officers. The documents, which he initially wrestled with whether to discard or report, have thrust Adams and his family into a whirlwind of fear and uncertainty.
When ActionSA’s Dereleen James questioned Adams, the two found themselves in a tense exchange. At one point, Adams objected to what he described as shouting while he was trying to explain his point.
“...The only woman who screams at me is the one I sleep with,” Adams said.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Ad Hoc Committee, on Wednesday, James said that one thing that has been made clear is the need for a forensic investigator.
“The one thing that we need to realise is that this is not a tuck shop; we need to come with evidence here. We have seen it, we have been complaining as ActionSA, we have mentioned the concern with regards to not having a forensic investigator, and with Honourable Adams coming here, he has been making allegations for the longest time.
“I was disappointed that he couldn't show us a single piece of paper, just one receipt to back his allegations, which was really disappointing. The manner in which he responded was also disappointing because every time someone would say something that was not according to his chorus, he would attack,” James said.
Patriotic Alliance’s (PA) Ashley Sauls felt the opposite of James, saying that one could see his passion for why he started his political party coming through.
“The fact that everything that he's talking about, and fighting for, is for that, classified (as) Coloured South African boy in Mitchells Plain and so on. So that came through, and people must understand that about him. I’m all about the evidence, deal with the evidence before you and not the personality. So I don't judge people on their personality.
“What I liked about his evidence was that there were supporting documents, and there was real evidence. For example, he makes a claim that he had to open up cases in Gauteng,” Sauls said.
Patriotic Alliance’s Ashley Sauls.
Image: Zwelethemba Kostile / ParliamentofRSA
“Why? Because Major-General André Lincoln advised him that they're going to cover up that thing, and his cases are gonna disappear. He did that, and guess what? His cases did disappear. That's not hearsay.
“We are investigating infiltration, political interference, and defeating the ends of justice. Now, is that not defeating the ends of justice? (That’s) not hearsay. That's proof of defeating the ends of justice.
“You can be critical, but when you deal with the facts and the evidence that goes with it, that is what we are here for,” Sauls said.