The Madlanga commission of inquiry’s public hearings into criminality, political interference and corruption in the justice system have been halted and will resume on October 13.
The hearings were stopped after the fifth witness, SAPS head of crime intelligence Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo, said he became ill shortly after arriving at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria.
Retired judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga, the commission’s chairperson, adjourned the hearings on Wednesday, the third day Khumalo was due to testify.
Shortly after the adjournment, police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said Khumalo was receiving medical care, in good spirits and taking health advice from his physician.
“The general’s health is receiving priority, and the Madlanga commission will be kept abreast of all developments pertaining to his condition as well as when he will be available to continue with his testimony,” she said.
Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels said the hearings would no longer take place this week due to Khumalo’s ill health.
The hearings would resume on October 13 because the commission would be taking a scheduled break next week, he said.
“The commission will be taking a scheduled break from October 6 to 10 due to the unavailability of commissioner Sesi Baloyi, who will be attending to her duties as a member of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC),” Michaels said.
The JSC will be interviewing candidates set to fill two vacancies at the Constitutional Court from October 6 to 17.
Khumalo on Tuesday testified that attempted murder accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala pulled out all the stops to avoid the cancellation of his company’s R360m tender with the police, paying large sums of money to police minister Senzo Mchunu’s comrade Brown Mogotsi to spend on ANC events.
Khumalo presented the commission with text messages between Mogotsi and Matlala.
The crime intelligence boss was this week scheduled to produce evidence that Matlala was in communication with senior police officers, including KwaZulu-Natal directorate for priority crime investigation (Hawks) provincial head Maj-Gen Lesetja Senona and Ekurhuleni metro police department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi.
The commission has a tight deadline of six months to complete its work. President Cyril Ramaphosa wanted the commission to file its preliminary report within its first three months.
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