Parliamentary inquiry adjourns amid inconsistencies in Cedrick Nkabinde's testimony

The parliamentary inquiry investigating corruption allegations in the criminal justice on Thursday adjourned the testimony of suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s chief of staff, Cedrick Nkabinde.

This comes as MPs seek legal advice on how to deal with contradictory statements he made during his testimony, including accusations that he had lied about his relationship with controversial North West businessman Brown Mokgotsi.

Committee chairperson Soviet Lekganyane said MPs were not in a position to continue with the hearing, given the quality of information that had been presented.

Nkabinde gave contradictory testimony that clashed with his affidavit to the inquiry and when grilled about specifics, he said he no longer had access to his devices and could not confirm certain information.

“The statement made by the witness that he did not have his gadgets is inexcusable,” Lekganyane said.

He also said Nkabinde could have confirmed dates with the ministry of police prior to attending the inquiry.

“I am convinced that there was no demonstrable intention on the part of the witness to be truthful with the committee.”

Nkabinde was testifying at the committee probing the explosive allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi at a press conference on July 6, months after Mchunu issued controversial directives, including the disbanding of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) to SAPS national commissioner Fannie Masemola on December 31, 2024.

In his affidavit, Nkabinde said he personally got to know Mogotsi in November last year when he facilitated a meeting at the request of Mchunu.

He said it was unfortunate that he could not be precise about the dates as his gadgets had seized during a police raid on his property and that he was advised to provide dates as best as he could recall.

“It was an oversight on my side … The confusion is caused by me not having the gadgets,” he said, adding at some point that he thumb sucked the dates.

But, ANC MP Xola Nqola said the matter had nothing to do with the seized gadgets.

EFF leader Julius Malema described Nkabinde as deliberately misleading the inquiry.

“This information written (on the affidavit) is not worth the paper it is written on,” he said before asking why the proceeding should go ahead in light of an affidavit that was thumb sucked.

Nkabinde insisted on blaming the contradictions in his evidence on the fact that his gadgets had been seized.

“I don’t have accurate information. If there are discrepancies in terms of dates, it’s because I don’t have help from my gadgets,” he said.

After some discussion by the committee, Lekganyane said there were two sets of statements given - one orally and another in the form of a statement.

“It is a matter the legal team of Parliament will have to look at and if there is any consequence, they can advise us how to handle the matter of a witness who comes and misconducts himself the way he did,” he said.

He also said they were worried with the quality of the statement Nkabinde provided to the committee.

He said Nkabinde should be ready to reappear before the committee within the next 10 days.

Earlier, Nkabinde denied any knowledge of being copied on messages that were sent by Mogotsi to attempted murder-accused businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.

“He never sent me messages or copied me on messages (sent to) Cat Matlala,” he said in  response to chief evidence leader Advocate Norman Arendse.

He also maintained that he was not familiar with the content of the messages.

“I see the messages for the first time today.”

Nkabinde said his interaction with Mogotsi, via messages, largely dealt with the sharing of breaking news articles.

“There was no official message.”

When asked about the references to the chief of staff in the messages, Nkabinde said: “I am not sure because there are many chiefs of staff. I am not sure if this (was in reference to) me,” he said.

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za