Mogotsi makes 'ridiculous' security demands before Ad Hoc Committee appearance

North West businessman Brown Mogotsi is demanding that Parliament pay up for his security detail before he appears before the Ad Hoc Committee on Thursday and Friday.

Mogotsi has also refused to provide his ID number so that accommodation and flights could be arranged.

This emerged when committee Secretary Vhonani Ramaano gave a report to the committee before the start of proceedings on Wednesday.

Briefing the committee, Ramaano said that Mogotsi was not in a position to give his evidence on Thursday.

“Mr Mogotsi demanded that we should provide him with protection with his own people,” he said.

Ramaano also said he had contacted Parliament Protection Services asking that it look at the issue he was raising.

“The offer that was given was that he can come to Cape Town, and as soon as he lands, there will be an escort offered. Mr Mogotsi refused that offer. He says he does not want to be protected by people he does not know. He prefers to have his own people protecting him, and he is requesting that Parliament fund that for a period of seven days.” 

Ramaano also said Mogotsi was asked for his ID numbers so that his flights and accommodation could be arranged.

“He told me he will not give that unless the security detail he wants is in place.”

According to Ramaano, the evidence leaders were under the impression that he would be arriving in Cape Town on Wednesday and he was unsure if he bought his flight tickets.

“He never indicated to me that he would be coming,” he said.

Ad Hoc Committee Chairperson, Soviet Lekganyane, said it was uncertain whether Mogotsi would be coming on Thursday given the “ridiculous” demands he is making to Parliament that he has his own private security he is using regularly.

“Parliament can't provide him with any security. He wants his security to be paid for seven days by Parliament,” Lekganyane said, adding that the committee would have to agree on whether to reschedule Thursday for public participation by members of the public and civil society organisations.

MK Party MP Sibonelo Nomvalo said that Mogotsi’s demands were a sign of refusal to appear before the committee.

“The only thing that the legal team must do is that they must subpoena him to come here.

“I don’t know really what it is we must discuss when the terms of reference are clear what must be done on instances like this. This does not need discussions,” said Nomvalo.

He insisted that Mogotsi “must be subpoenaed today, not tomorrow”.

“We don't want a stigma at the tail end of our work as the Ad Hoc Committee, because we run out of time; there is nothing you can do to bring Mogotsi,” he said.

EFF MP Leigh-Ann Mathys backed the summoning of Mogotsi.

“He must have been summonsed a long time ago,” she said.

Meanwhile, MPs heard that National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza will make known her decision tomorrow or the day after regarding a subpoena for forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan, who has refused to testify in-person citing threats to his life, among other things, and offered to give evidence virtually.

O’Sullivan was scheduled to give evidence on Tuesday and Wednesday, but due to his non-attendance, the committee is receiving presentations from members of the public and civil society organisations.

Briefing the committee, Parliamentary Legal Advisor Andile Tetyana said the matter of issuing summons for witnesses to appear before the parliamentary committee was authorised by Didiza.

He also said he was advised that she was considering the matter.

“Yesterday, I was reliably informed that the Speaker will communicate her decision within the next day or two,” said Tetyana.

MK Party MP Vusi Shongwe raised his concern that they have decided to summon Mogotsi yet they must wait for Didiza on the O’Sullivan matter.

He said O’Sullivan had told them that he was not coming.

“That guy must be subpoenaed. If Mogotsi is subpoenaed, it should be the same with Paul O’Sullivan. I support that he must be subpoenaed,” Shongwe said.

Mathys said the committee has been undermined by O’Sullivan.

“Parliament has done nothing about it for two months. He threatened a witness,” she said, referring to the threatening message chief of staff of suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, Cedric Nkabinde, allegedly received while he was giving testimony before the committee.

Mathys said O’Sullivan should have been subpoenaed when he started acting up.

The committee is continuing with receiving submissions from the members of the public and civil society organisations.

Lekganyane explained that they will continue with the public submissions on Thursday.

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za