Ramsamy links suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to controversial IDAC operations to Madlanga
In another chilling event at the Madlanga Commission, Advocate Drushantha Ramsamy was back in the hot seat and linked suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu directly to the controversial work of Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC).
This time around, she testified that Dylan Perumal informed her that a witness had been flown to the Eastern Cape for consultation purposes by suspended Minister Senzo Mchunu.
When asked about her understanding of the arrangement, Ramsamy said she assumed that Mchunu or his office had covered the cost of the flight.
Ramsamy told the inquiry that after the 6 January 2025 meeting with Fadiel Adams, Perumal met with an alleged witness without informing her or the lead investigator on the case.
Ramsamy said Perumal later told her that the witness, who was based in Pretoria, had been flown to Cape Town by Mchunu to meet with him.
She told the inquiry that a presentation prepared by Perumal in January 2025 also referred to a Section 27 affidavit containing allegations relating to forklift procurement, the Political Killings Task Team(PKTT) and the Secret Service Account.
She said this corroborates both her testimony and that of investigator Mantsha Raphesu regarding the contents of the Section 27 referral affidavit they say they saw on 5 and 6 December 2024.
She told the inquiry that former IDAC head Andrea Johnson informed colleagues during a staff meeting in January 2025 that she had visited Mchunu at either his home or office on the night of 20 or 21 January 2025.
This contradicts Johnson’s earlier testimony before the commission, in which she denied ever meeting Mchunu alone.
Ramsamy told the inquiry that she believes Mchunu supported the investigation and possible prosecution of his Chief of Staff, Cedric Nkabinde.
She said she reached this conclusion based on what she described as Johnson’s persistent instructions to investigators and prosecutors to find evidence against Nkabinde.
Early in the morning, Ramsamy began her testimony by addressing what she describes as her demeanour before the commission.
Ramsamy said she had reached a point where she would rather laugh at the circumstances than cry, explaining that she does not want to portray herself as a victim while trying to assist the commission.
She apologised in advance, asking for forgiveness if she smiles during her testimony, stressing that it should not be interpreted as making light of the serious matters before the commission.
Ramsamy told the Madlanga Commission that former IDAC head Andrea Johnson and others attempted to groom her into following a predetermined line.
She said she believed she was expected to do as she was told while using her prosecutorial skills to advance a specific agenda.
Ramsamy also testified that Hawks Captain Mark McLean had warned her about a specific group within IDAC.
