South Africa’s parliamentary committee investigating police corruption postponed testimony from Cedric Nkabinde on Thursday after lawmakers discovered inaccuracies in his sworn statement, forcing the police ministry’s chief of staff to withdraw and correct his affidavit.
The ad hoc committee suspended Nkabinde’s hearing just before the lunch break when Members of Parliament accused him of providing false dates regarding meetings with corruption-accused businessman Brown Mogotsi and Minister Senzo Mchunu’s response to the Lusikisiki massacre.
Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema accused Nkabinde of misrepresenting facts and lying under oath. “You must say you completely want to apologise to a particular extent, even ask that you withdraw this affidavit and go and do a proper affidavit where you remember dates,” Malema said.
The committee is examining allegations of corruption and political interference in South Africa’s criminal justice system, including claims that suspended Police Minister Mchunu directed the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team last December.
Nkabinde incorrectly stated that Minister Mchunu visited Lusikisiki in September following the killing of 18 people, when the visit actually occurred in October 2024. The mass shooting at Ngobozana village happened on September 28, 2024, with Mchunu visiting the area in early October.
ActionSA MP Dereleen James criticized Nkabinde’s testimony, stating: “You’ve given us a sworn statement and you now come and say you have thumbsucked dates.”
Nkabinde told the committee his electronic devices were seized over a month ago during a raid at his house, leaving him unable to verify certain dates when preparing his statement.
Earlier testimony revealed Nkabinde facilitated meetings between Mchunu and Mogotsi regarding illegal miners trapped in Stilfontein, North West province, though he was excluded from those discussions.
The committee heard testimony about Nkabinde’s close relationship with KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, with Nkabinde stating: “I go to his house, he comes to my house and we eat from the same plate.”
After a short adjournment, committee chairperson Soviet Lekganyane agreed to defer the meeting to allow Nkabinde time to correct his statement. Nkabinde had been scheduled to testify on November 13 and 14 as a crucial witness in the corruption investigation.
The EFF announced plans to open a perjury case against Nkabinde. Several MPs said they could not continue because the statement could mislead Parliament, with one MP stating the “whole statement is misleading” and they “can’t rely on a misleading statement” at all.
Nkabinde previously served at the Independent Police Investigative Directorate from 2010 to 2018, when he resigned after blowing the whistle on alleged corruption that implicated former IPID head Robert McBride.
The committee must complete its investigation by the end of November and has strategically reduced its witness list to meet the deadline. Brown Mogotsi is scheduled to appear from November 18 to 20 to respond to claims he attempted to influence the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team.
