Controversial North West businessman Brown Mogotsi appears before the Ad Hoc Committee.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Media
ActionSA MP Dereleen James said that the testimony of North West businessman Oupa 'Brown' Mogotsi has raised concerns about how an ordinary citizen is conducting investigations within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Mogotsi appeared before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by SAPS KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, where he spoke about the investigations he would conduct and his purported role as a Crime Intelligence agent.
Mogotsi also acknowledged that his suspicions about Mkhwanazi being a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agent were unfounded, attributing the lack of tangible evidence to the unreliable nature of his sources.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Ad Hoc Committee, James said that they have heard from various testimonies of witnesses before the committee, who described Mogotsi using an array of terms.
“I think he's been called a fixer, a cheerleader, a comrade, an activist, and today, he tells us he's an informant. An informant, but he’s telling us that he's doing investigative work within SAPS.
“I think the most concerning thing for me today was sitting and listening to how an ordinary citizen who produces wors (sausage) is busy conducting investigations within SAPS,” James said.
James expressed alarm over the apparent dependence of the SAPS on external sources, like Mogotsi and previously Paul O'Sullivan, for investigative information and case conclusion.
She found it “concerning” that Mogotsi's testimony today made it “clear... that SAPS depends a lot on him for his information to conclude on cases”, echoing a similar shock when it was revealed that O'Sullivan had “more tools than the South African Police Service”.
The most shocking claim, James stated, was the “infiltration of ordinary South African citizens who are actually high-ranking criminals” into SAPS operations.
She highlighted the worrying access these individuals have to sensitive information, such as Occurrence Books (OB books) and dockets.
James questioned where the line should be drawn in terms of reforms, especially given this infiltration, which he called a “great concern”.
She noted Mogotsi's “confidence in terms of the work that he's doing”, but the core issue remains “the infiltration of criminals doing SAPS work in South Africa”.
O'Sullivan and former SAPS Lieutenant-General Khomotso will return on Thursday to complete their testimonies. The committee will not be sitting on Wednesday due to the Budget Speech. Phahlane will also be back before the committee on Friday.
The committee is also expected to hear evidence from Lt-General Tebello Mosikili, Lt-Gen Hilda Senthumule, and MP Fadiel Adams during March 3-4. O’Sullivan’s PA, Sarah-Jane Trent, is set for March 5th, and then Advocate Mashuga will appear on March 10th.
theolin.tembo@inl.co.za