The Ad Hoc Committee to Investigate Allegations Made by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi yesterday continued its deliberations on its preliminary report, with members noting that the non-appearance of the suspended Inspector-General of Intelligence (IGI), Mr Imtiaz Fazel, had constrained the committee’s consideration of matters within his oversight mandate.
The committee worked through the draft report page by page, considering amendments proposed by political parties. The report was prepared by the technical team following months of hearings and testimony from numerous witnesses.
Several members acknowledged that evidence from Mr Fazel would have assisted the committee, particularly on matters relating to Crime Intelligence property procurement and the proposed acquisition of the Veros Boutique Hotel.
The committee had invited the IGI to provide evidence on these and other matters. However, Mr Fazel informed the committee that section 7(8)(b) of the Intelligence Services Oversight Act, 1994 (Act No. 40 of 1994) required him to consult the acting Minister of Police and the President before disclosing classified intelligence information.
He advised the committee that consultation with the acting minister began on 24 February 2026 and with the President on 25 February 2026. The acting minister indicated that he was seeking legal advice, while no response was received from the Presidency before the committee concluded its consideration of this aspect of its work.
Mr Fazel also advised that, following his suspension and the withdrawal of his security clearance, he no longer had access to oversight and investigation reports that he required to prepare his evidence. He consequently sought executive assistance to obtain lawful access. He further indicated that some of the matters had previously been considered in a closed session of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI).
According to the draft report, the committee Chairperson, Mr Molapi Soviet Lekganyane, wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa on 17 March 2026 seeking to secure the required consultation. No response was received from the President by the requested date of 20 March 2026 or by the conclusion of the committee’s inquiry.
The acting Minister of Police subsequently indicated a willingness to share the contents of the IGI report, subject to strict conditions and Parliament’s protocols governing the handling and viewing of confidential and classified information by the National Assembly. The report was sent to the Speaker, who returned it to the acting minister and directed that it be sent instead to the Chairperson of the JSCI.
The committee also considered whether it could obtain an authorised account of the relevant intelligence oversight matters through a conferral with the JSCI. Joint Rule 81 permits a joint committee to confer with another joint committee or with a committee of either House. However, the committee’s request to confer with the JSCI did not receive a response, creating a further impediment to obtaining the relevant evidence.
During the deliberations, several political parties cautioned against drawing definitive findings in areas where the committee was still assessing the evidence before it.
ANC Chief Whip Mr Mdumiseni Ntuli argued that the report should not conclude that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu was influenced by academic Ms Mary de Haas or Mr Brown Mogotsi, who has been described during the inquiry as a fixer, in relation to the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).
The ANC has defended Minister Mchunu against allegations that he was influenced by outside forces when he disbanded the PKTT, arguing that the evidence before the committee did not support such a conclusion. Other committee members however said the contrary was heard and the Minister Mchunu said he took Ms De Haas’s concerns into consideration.
Members also debated allegations relating to a telephone conversation between Minister Mchunu and KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, which was secretly recorded by the Minister’s Chief of Staff, Mr Cedric Nkabinde.
EFF MP Ms Leigh Ann Mathys said there was no evidence before the committee that Minister Mchunu instructed Mr Nkabinde to record the conversation with Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi concerning the disbandment of the PKTT.
The deliberations form part of the committee’s ongoing consideration of the evidence and submissions received during its inquiry. Committee members will continue to discuss the contents and wording of the report to ensure that its conclusions are properly supported by the evidence before the committee. The committee has been granted until next month to conclude its work.
Rajaa Azzakani
18 August 2026
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