Lesufi says claims at Madlanga commission that he demanded police dockets are ‘baffling’
· Citizen
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has denied requesting police dockets, including some of sensitive cases and with arrest warrants, saying that the claims are “misleading”.
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Lesufi’s denial comes after suspended Sedibeng District Commissioner Brigadier Mbangwa Nkhwashu testified at the Madlanga commission on Wednesday.
Nkhwashu’s testimony at Madlanga commission
Nkhwashu testified about his relationship with murder-accused businessman Katiso ‘KT’ Molefe. He also denied demanding the Armand Swart murder docket for any personal interest or improper purpose.
Swart, an employee at Q Tech Engineering Company based in Vereeniging, was shot and killed outside his workplace on 17 April 2024. It was reported that his murder was ordered after he blew the whistle about fraud and corruption linked to a Transnet tender contract.
Nkhwashu told the Madlanga commission that he was instructed “to collect all case dockets that had a J50 warrant of arrest and to submit them to the deputy provincial commissioner of detective services, Major General [Dumisani] Khumalo”.
“General Khumalo was to oversee those investigations as directed by the Premier of Gauteng, Mr Panyaza Lesufi. The instructions were not limited to the Katiso case. It applied to many dockets from all five districts in Gauteng,” he said.
Lesufi denies claims
Lesufi, however, responded to these claims on Friday night, saying he has never requested police dockets. He also called Nkhwashu’s testimony “baffling and misleading”.
“A letter from the Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General DT Mthombeni, addressed to the premier, confirms that it was the provincial commissioner, not the premier, who requested the dockets,” said Lesufi’s statement.
“The letter also explicitly confirms that the coordination of wanted suspects and the processing of J50 warrants fall under the mandate of the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection, Major General Khumalo, acting in consultation with Crime Intelligence.”
Lesufi also asked Nkhwashu to “provide a written copy of the exact directive or order he allegedly issued”.
Nkhwashu accused of being confused
The Gauteng premier also said that he thinks Nkhwashu was confusing internal police directives with briefings provided to Lesufi’s office on crime prevention strategies.
“We support the work of the Madlanga commission, and we will use the proper legal channels to correct any misleading or incorrect statements that are part of the official record. We also urge everyone to let the commission finish its work, without giving in to any temptation to create sensationalism,” said Lesufi.