Suspended Tshwane metro police Deputy Chief Umashi Dhlamini resumed giving evidence at the Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Friday, where he denied political interference by the EFF and ActionSA.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
Suspended Tshwane Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Umashi Dhlamini on Friday distanced himself from claims of political interference in the entity’s procurement processes by the EFF and ActionSA.
Dhlamini resumed giving evidence at the Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry and testified that two of his former comrades during their days as student activists, only identified as Muzi and Sipho, came to his office claiming to be from the EFF.
He told the commission, chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, that he knew the two men from their student days and believed that they pretended to represent the EFF.
Dhlamini said they indicated that they were with now-suspended City of Tshwane chief financial officer (CFO) Gareth Mnisi, which he noted was not true.
“They thought I had a way through this process to help them,” he stated.
According to Dhlamini, Muzi and Sipho also said they were working with EFF leader Julius Malema, which he believed was not true.
Dhlamini said they were name-dropping the CFO and the EFF; he did not know them as members of the EFF but as longstanding ANC members.
“People name-drop and tarnish people’s names,” added Dhlamini, describing them as youngsters with whom he grew up in Soshanguve.
Muzi and Sipho brought a list of companies to be favourably considered for a lucrative security tender.
He said he forwarded details of the companies Muzi and Sipho brought, claiming they were given to them by Malema, to his close friend, suspended SA Police Service Gauteng Organised Crime Unit officer Sergeant Fannie Nkosi, who would then compare them to a list the duo had indicated Mnisi already had.
Justice Madlanga then asked why Dhlamini did not check Mnisi’s contact details on the City of Tshwane contact list and call him directly and seek verification of the EFF and Malema’s alleged list of companies.
In his response, Dhlamini said he had no relationship with Mnisi and took advantage of his (Mnisi’s) proximity to Nkosi.
But Justice Madlanga was unconvinced by his answer.
“This is not about closeness, this is about Tshwane business and the sort of thing you should enquire about directly from another Tshwane employee. It has nothing to do with familiarity, why did you not pick up the contact list, get the number, and call the CFO? What you are saying does not make sense at all,” he declared.
Dhlamini insisted that Nkosi has a level of trust in him, as he is a young boy whom he has groomed. He said he was not interested in politics and politicians.
“I made a decision a long time ago not to engage with politicians for personal reasons. I don’t talk to politicians,” Dhlamini explained.
He continued: “I avoid politicians for personal reasons, I have a history in politics”.
Dhlamini said Nkosi had claimed to have had a meeting with the EFF and ActionSA, but never explained to him that this message was sent to Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise.
In addition, he said Nkosi also told him that a message came from the CFO and mentioned Modise, and phoned him to inform him that things were happening.
“I said it seems there is high contestation in the political sphere,” Dhlamini said.
The commission continues.
loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za