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Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations of criminal infiltration into the criminal justice system has found no evidence of criminality against police minister Senzo Mchunu but raised serious governance and integrity concerns against him. The committee on Tuesday deliberated on its draft report. The deadline for it to submit a final report to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza is later this month.The draft report says there is no evidence that was led before the committee that Mchunu entered into a corrupt agreement or acted on the instruction of a criminal cartel when he disbanded the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) in December 2024.However, the report concludes that Mchunu, who has been on special leave for a year, faces unresolved integrity and executive accountability concerns on how he went about disbanding the task team.The report’s findings do not necessarily mean Mchunu is off the hook, though, and his suspension from the cabinet is likely to continue as President Cyril Ramaphosa is still waiting for the outcomes of the Madlanga commission of inquiry before making a final decision on his fate.For now he remains on a special leave of absence with Firoz Cachalia acting in his place. The commission, headed by retired Constitutional Court judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga and assisted by advocates Sesi Baloyi and Sandile Khumalo, is investigating political interference in police operations.The ad hoc committee has found “serious unresolved issues” relating to suspended deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya, though, including his handling of 121 case dockets and implementation of the directive to dissolve the political task team.But it concludes that the evidence does not prove he acted on behalf of businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, Brown Mogotsi or an organised crime network.The committee also made no findings of criminal conduct against Investigating Directorate Against Corruption head Andrea Johnson.Rather than substantiating claims of a co-ordinated criminal conspiracy, the report concludes that the evidence points to systemic institutional weaknesses that have left law enforcement vulnerable to abuse and external influence.It identifies deficiencies in the governance of specialised police units, weaknesses in the process used to dissolve the PKTT, shortcomings in docket management and case continuity, and significant structural and integrity concerns over Crime Intelligence. The report also highlights irregularities in the Medicare24 procurement process, weaknesses in oversight and disciplinary systems, inadequate protection for whistleblowers and witnesses, and shortcomings in parliamentary oversight and civilian accountability.While acknowledging serious vulnerabilities to organised crime across the criminal justice system, the committee concludes that the evidence does not establish the existence of a single criminal network exercising control over multiple state institutions. Though it identifies integrity risks affecting institutions including the National Prosecuting Authority, the judiciary and Idac, it does not conclude that any of them have been captured by organised crime.The draft report remains subject to further amendments after MPs from several parties argued that key findings and recommendations had been weakened.Once finalised and adopted, the report will be submitted to Didiza, who is expected to table it before the National Assembly for consideration with any recommendations for further investigations or action.But it looks certain to have a tough time in parliament. ActionSA MP and member of the ad hoc committee Dereleen James said her party will not support the adoption of the report.“The draft report does not reflect the evidence before the committee,” she said.“ActionSA’s position is that the draft report has been materially watered down. It softens, qualifies, or omits findings that the evidence plainly supports, and in several respects it reads as a summary of proceedings rather than a determination on the facts placed before the Committee,” she wrote on her social media page.Business Day
