By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Madlanga Commission of Inquiry continued without the suspended SAPS Crime Intelligence deputy head Major-General Feroz Khan after his legal team informed the commission earlier this week that he remains unconscious and heavily sedated at Milpark Hospital.
Earlier this week, Advocate Zubair Khan told the commission that Feroz was unconscious at the hospital after he was hospitalized following an attempted assassination.
Commission evidence leader, Advocate Adila Hassim, took the commission through a series of WhatsApp messages exchanged between Khan and Carnilinx Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mohammad Sayed, on 2 August 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Khan has been linked to Carnilinx through what the commission has described as a close personal, financial and political relationship with Sayed, the company’s co-founder and COO.
The commission examined the nature of that relationship on Friday as part of its inquiry into allegations of corruption and criminal infiltration within the country’s criminal justice system.
In one of the messages, Sayed urged Khan to “tie up the Pilot and Gen1”, saying his company urgently needed “the order”.
Advocate Hassim explained who she believes Sayed was referring to.
“That first message which says ‘please tie the pilot and Gen1’. I’ve sent to the commissioners and I will show that ‘pilot’ is Molefe Fani. I can’t say exactly who Gen1 is. Whether it’s a code or some other person, I have not determined that yet,” said Hassim.
The commission also revealed WhatsApp exchanges showing Khan and Sayed discussing plans to target veteran journalist, Yusuf Abramjee.
The chats relate to a statement issued by Abramjee through his non-profit organisation, Tax Justice South Africa, title ‘Authorities to Blame for Tsunami of Illegal Tobacco Flooding South Africa’.
The statement accused law enforcement agencies of failing to curb the illicit tobacco trade and alleged that Carnilinx was among the companies benefiting from the illegal tobacco market.
WhatsApp messages dated 7 July 2021 show Khan and Sayed expressing frustration over the widely circulated statement.
Advocate Hassim also read several of Abramjee’s social media posts that were critical of Carnilinx, saying they appeared to further agitate both Sayed and Khan.
The commission considered a voluntary affidavit submitted by the company linked to tobacco tycoon, Adriano Mazzoti, in which it seeks to clear its name of allegations raised in various media reports.
Hassim has revealed the tax evasion, fraud, corruption and unlawful surveillance of tax officials that Malema’s cigarette benefactor Mazzotti admitted to in a confidential agreement with SARS.
Carnilinx, said Mazzotti, had acknowledged its liability for all income tax, VAT and excise duty previously not paid. It was now functioning as a legitimate tax-paying concern and digging up old cows would damage its reputation.
Mazzotti has previously not been shy about his financial support of Malema, politically and personally. Malema has lived in a heavily guarded Hyde Park property owned by Mazzotti. They are family friends.
Malema also features in the commission’s probe into Khan’s spheres of influence in a series of messages conspiring with the EFF to set a trap in Parliament to embarrass former Inspector-General of Intelligence Dr Selumanthuro Dintwe. The latter had revoked Khan’s security clearance. Khan sought to have him removed from office.
Khan had also provided Malema, using his access to the criminal justice system, the name and address of the complainant in the VBS matter, Anoosh Rooplal, the curator.
Back in 2020, Mazzotti’s 52-page admission to SARS had resulted in the settlement of a whopping R25-million outstanding tax bill. The initial demand had been for around R35-million.
Mazzotti’s admissions included an acknowledgement of serious criminality, including tobacco smuggling, corruption, fraud, money laundering, tax evasion and attempted bribery of SARS officials.