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EFF leader Julius Malema has denied allegations that he orchestrated the removal of former inspector-general of intelligence Setlhomamaru Dintwe in 2021, when crime intelligence operations support boss Maj-Gen Feroz Khan faced heat in a disciplinary hearing. Malema filed an affidavit with the Madlanga commission responding to the allegations. It was placed on record on Tuesday. Khan faces allegations that he infiltrated the National Treasury, influenced multimillion-rand tenders in favour of his business associates, and received payments in return.The allegations are a concern as he was responsible for financial accounting and controls for the South African Police Service (SAPS) crime intelligence division. Read: From one Uno to 30 cars: Feroz Khan’s hand in R50m Treasury tenderHe is also accused of knowing about an alleged strategy by Carnilinx executive Mohamed Sayed to eliminate competitors in the illicit tobacco trade. SAPS documents also suggest Khan failed to disclose fully his interests as a director of more than three automotive businesses. His 2024/25 declaration listed 30 vehicles, compared with previous disclosures showing ownership of a single Fiat Uno. Khan is further accused of ordering the release of Tariq Downes from custody after his 2021 arrest in connection with unwrought gold. He has denied the allegation and also denied being involved in drug dealing. Evidence before the commission on Tuesday included a 2022 exchange between Khan and business associate Ismail Vally discussing the possibility of making a Hawks commercial crime case “disappear”.“There is a suggestion that Gen Khan can make a criminal charge disappear from this exchange,” evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson said.Khan was shot two days before his much-anticipated testimony before the Madlanga commission last week and has yet to respond to the allegations publicly. Malema has also been accused of politically protecting Khan during the 2021 disciplinary process. Khan is further accused of providing police documents to the benefit of the EFF leader.“I deny that I conspired to orchestrate the removal of Dr Dintwe,” Malema’s affidavit states. At the time, Dintwe was responsible for overseeing the intelligence and counterintelligence activities of South Africa’s intelligence services and investigating alleged maladministration and abuse of power within the intelligence services.Malema’s denial contradicts commission investigator Tshepo Nyatlo’s affidavit, which alleges that in June 2021 Khan, Malema and Sayed conspired to orchestrate Dintwe’s removal. According to the affidavit, Khan sent a series of questions to Sayed for EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi to ask Dintwe in parliament. The questions concerned whether Dintwe had links to alleged drug lord Timmy Marimuthu.The commission’s evidence does not suggest Khan communicated directly with Malema. Instead, the exchanges were conducted through Sayed. He is an executive at Carnilinx, which donated money to the EFF when it was formed in 2013.Malema also addressed his link to Carnilinx in his affidavit. “I voluntarily stated at the EFF 10th anniversary celebration … that Mr [Adriano] Mazzotti, who is the CEO of Carnilinx, donated funds that helped register the EFF. It is also a matter of public record,” Malema’s affidavit states. “My wife used to reside at a property that is in the same complex precinct as Mr Mazzotti, under a lease agreement. I place underlining emphasis on ‘under lease agreement’ as correctly recorded in Mr Nyatlo’s affidavit, in contrast to other media reports and claims that I stayed there gratuitously.” Malema did not respond to the allegation that Sayed forwarded a request to Khan for information about a case opened at the Sandton police station by VBS Mutual Bank curator Anoosh Rooplal. The request allegedly came from Malema. The commission alleges that Khan provided Sayed with information about the case and Rooplal’s personal details and his home address for such to be given to Malema.Malema and former EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu were implicated in the VBS scandal by former chair Tshifhiwa Matodzi in an affidavit before he was sentenced in 2023. Malema described Matodzi’s affidavit as untested evidence. Malema contended he did not have knowledge of Sayed and Khan’s chats. “Be that as it may, I do not have knowledge of the exchanges between Mr Sayed and Gen Khan.” He denied allegations against him “to the extent that they infer any unlawful conduct on my part”. Malema also denied that the EFF received bribes from a company called Bertobrite, which held a City of Tshwane tender. According to the chats, Sayed forwarded details of Bertobrite’s bid for an SAPS fleet management tender to Khan, saying the request came from Malema. Sayed told Khan that he thought Malema “wants us to do it”. In 2020, investigative journalists at amaBhungane reported that Bertobrite, after winning a fuel supply tender in the Tshwane metro, paid “millions” to companies linked to the EFF. “To the best of my knowledge, I deny any Bertobrite bribery of the EFF,” Malema said. The Madlanga commission resumes on Wednesday.
