By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GalloImages.
Renowned Cape Town advocate Norman Arendse, SC, has been appointed as the evidence leader for the Parliament’s ad-hoc committee investigating police capture.
The ad-hoc committee tabled a progress report on preparations for the hearings.
The committee has until the end of October to submit its report to the National Assembly.
Parliament’s Constitutional and Legal Services division was tasked with appointing senior counsel, and MPs were updated on the matter on Friday.
Arendse, will be assisted by two advocates, Maria Mokhoaetsi and Lerato Zikalala.
Briefing the committee, chairperson Soviet Lekganyane said invitations have been sent to seven people identified by the committee.
These are KZN commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, police commissioner Fannie Masemola, suspended minister Senzo Mchunu, deputy policy commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, acting minister Firoz Cachalia and deputy ministers Cassel Mathale and Polly Boshielo.
“There is no additional witness that has been invited. Signed letters are sent to the seven persons named here,” Lekganyane said.
He also stated that Mkhwanazi has requested the committee to allow him time as he was already engaged with the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry until 24 September.
Lekganyane said if they started on September 16, they will have five weeks to complete their work before the 31 October deadline.
He said should they not conclude the work, they will have to make an application to the House for an extension and there they needed to work with the commission regarding the appearance of the witnesses set to testify.
“There must be a way we work together so that those witnesses can be available anytime either needs them to appear.”
The National Assembly last month agreed to set up the ad hoc committee to investigate Mkhwanazi’s claims after a joint meeting of Parliament’s police committee and its justice and constitutional development committee recommended its formation.
At a press conference in early July, Mkhwanazi alleged that a drug cartel based in Gauteng was controlling a high-level criminal syndicate that extended into the South African Police Service, the Police Ministry, Parliament, official prison structures, the judiciary and other law-enforcing authorities.
He also alleged that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, along with several others, had undermined investigations into political killings and organised crime.
Mchunu has been placed on special leave until a separate judicial commission of inquiry, led by Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, makes its findings. He has denied the accusations.
Cachalia, the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council’s chairperson and a former Gauteng community safety MEC, has been appointed as acting police minister.
Meanwhile the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry will officially begin its hearings on 17 September.
The commission spokesperson, Jeremy Michaels, said that while investigators and evidence leaders have begun consulting witnesses behind closed doors, the commission will not proceed publicly until its digital infrastructure is fully operational.
“We are focused on ensuring that all the necessary ICT infrastructure is in place so that investigators and the legal team can effectively probe the serious allegations made by KZN police commissioner, Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi”, Michaels said.
Michaels added that the commission expects to finalise all IT infrastructure and preparations in time to start hearings without further delays.