By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Former acting South African Police Services (SAPS) commissioner Khomotso Phahlane testified as the first witness before Parliament’s ad hoc committee in the new year.
The ad hoc committee resumed its hearings after a lengthy recess, following the explosive testimony of businessman and attempted murder accused Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala in November 2025.
Phahlane served from October 2015 until his suspension in June 2017.
While his role in the highest levels of the police ended nine years ago, he still remains a central figure in high-profile investigations that involve police corruption as well as political interference.
Part of an affidavit that Phahlane submitted to the committee added to his testimony about political interference.
It said that after the 2007 ANC conference in Polokwane, some police officers, “especially those with struggle credentials” who fought apartheid and who were integrated from non-statutory forces (former political organisations), “revealed their allegiance/loyalty to political formations and/or leaders”.
Phahlane’s affidavit continued: “This impacted negatively on discipline and the management of conduct at all levels within the SAPS.”
It said senior police managers were “purged from key positions” and redeployed.
A significant part of Wednesday’s proceedings focused on Phahlane’s controversial SAPS past.
Phahlane portrayed himself as a former officer who was horribly wronged years ago and is still trying to clear his name of accusations that he deems unwarranted.
He repeatedly said he was the target of a narrative intentionally crafted to tarnish his name.
Wednesday’s proceedings began at 11am, and by 3.40pm, the DA’s Glynnis Breytenbach asked for a focus on the committee’s terms of reference, because what Phahlane was testifying about was “irrelevant and we can do nothing about it”.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema was also not sure about “what we’ve been doing from the morning until now”.
Ad hoc committee chair Soviet Lekganyane instructed that its reference terms be adhered to. “We’re not a dispute resolution forum,” he told Phahlane.
Former president Jacob Zuma appointed Phahlane to act as national police commissioner in October 2015.
Two years later, in June 2017, Phahlane was ordered to step down from the post because of negative publicity relating to corruption accusations.
Fikile Mbalula was police minister at the time.
On this, Phahlane said on Wednesday that Mbalula had no authority to make such an order, adding: You will know that I was a guinea pig of the step-aside policy because it was just applied to me for whatever reasons.”
Phahlane was dismissed from the SAPS in 2020.
This was connected to a 2014 contract worth R92-million awarded to Ethemba Forensic Group for the provision of specialised cameras to the police.
However, no order was placed for the system, and this resulted in a R24-million settlement between Ethemba and the SAPS.
Phahlane was accused of causing the R24-million loss. On Wednesday, he again denied any wrongdoing.
Among those he accused of crafting a campaign to tarnish his name are former Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) boss Robert McBride and forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan.
This is similar to the earlier testimony to the ad hoc committee of the sidelined police minister Senzo Mchunu’s chief of staff, Cedrick Nkabinde.
Nkabinde had claimed that while Phahlane was still acting national police commissioner, a team had been assembled to ensure that he would not be appointed in a permanent capacity.
According to Nkabinde, the aim of the team, which included O’Sullivan, was to ensure McBride became national police commissioner.
Phahlane could be called to return to the ad hoc committee on a later date so that its members, MPs, would have an opportunity to question him.
Crime Intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo is set to testify before the committee on Thursday and Friday.
Next week, McBride is expected to be called as a witness, as well as suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department head Julius Mkhwanazi.
The ad hoc committee plans to wrap up its witness testimony by 6 February 2025 and compile a report on its hearings by 20 February, the deadline by which it needs to finalise its work.