Lt-Gen Hilda Khosi Senthumule, Acting Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection and Divisional Commissioner for Detective and Forensic Services in SAPS, is testifying before Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee.
Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers
The ANC Xola Nqola has said that he thinks Acting Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection and Divisional Commissioner for Detective and Forensic Services, Lt-Gen Hilda Senthumule, has been able to explain herself before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee.
Senthumule answered questions at Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by SAPS KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, regarding the removal of dockets, alleged crime kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s donations to the SAPS National Excellence Awards, and claims of Matlala paying for her Brazilian butt lift (BBL).
During the Madlanga Commission, suspended Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya claimed Senthumule benefited from Matlala in circumstances that were not disclosed, including allegations that Matlala covered costs of her Brazilian butt lift (BBL) procedure.
"These allegations included certain medical procedures performed by medical practitioners, the cost of which were paid for by Matlala," he said.
During the Ad Hoc Committee hearing on Tuesday, Senthumule stood up and twirled before the committee when the matter of BBL procedures arose during questioning. She explained, while also attaching bank statements as evidence, that she had a liposuction operation, but she had paid for it out of her own pocket.
Lt-Gen Hilda Khosi Senthumule, Acting Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection and Divisional Commissioner for Detective and Forensic Services in SAPS, is testifying before Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee.
Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers
“I wish to submit to the Ad Hoc Committee that it is rather gravely unfortunate that I have to respond to such a baseless and damaging allegation as submitted by Lt-Gen Sibiya during his testimony at the Madlanga Commission. I state that the allegations that Mr Vusi Matlala paid for my medical procedure are completely false, malicious and unfounded.
“For those who know me, I have never been shy about taking care of myself. In 2023, I took a conscious decision to go for liposuction in certain body areas that I regarded as stubborn.
“I approached an aesthetic doctor with the intent to do some cosmetic procedures, including liposuction and body contouring. I took vacation leave from 17 October 2023 to 27 October 2023, and reported back to work immediately,” Senthumule said.
Speaking on the sidelines of Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee, Nqola said that what they were most concerned about hearing from Senthumule was the removal of dockets which emerged during Mkhwanazi’s July press briefing.
“A big thing that came out of the 6th July press briefing was the removal of dockets, 121 dockets, which were handled by her after having been seized from the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).
“But what became our worry was what the status of those dockets would be after having been seized from the PKTT, and they travelled to the national office. No one knows if there is information that is missing there,” Nqola said.
“She explained how Lt-General (Dumisani) Kumalo ended up getting arrested after she had released the dockets that were in an office, and all those things. As we always say, it is always important for us to extract this kind of information. It's the basis on which we are going to deliberate at the end of testimonies.
Nqola added that when Senthumule explains a point, she specifically mentions the date, which is the first thing that they would've noticed.
“But if you also check the attachments in the statement itself, we go beyond what she's saying in the statement. We look into the proof of that. If she flew from here to Abu Dhabi, we must get a copy of the flight ticket.
“If she went to do a BBL that is alleged to have been funded by Matlala, she must produce proof that proves her own version of the story. Hence, she even attached her bank statements and all those things. So from where I'm seated, we think that she is able to explain herself,” Nqola said.
“Whether we agree with her or not is a different thing, but she's able to advance an argument.”
Lt-Gen Hilda Khosi Senthumule, Acting Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection and Divisional Commissioner for Detective and Forensic Services in SAPS, is testifying before Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee.
Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers
He added that the committee feels like they are in a better place now compared to where they were a month ago in terms of understanding what led to the collapse in communication and procedure.
“We now better understand what happened, better understand what legislative framework applies to the decision, better understand what the feeling of the top-ranking officials of SAPS are, and everyone else who was involved in the decision-making.
“We are here now getting the full version of the story so that we are able to make our findings and recommendations,” Nqola said.
theolin.tembo@inl.co.za