Concerns raised over Chetty’s evidence before Ad Hoc Committee

Parliament Ad Hoc Committee Chairperson Soviet Lekganyane.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has walked out of Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee meeting in Cape Town. The committee is investigating allegations of criminal infiltration, corruption and political interference in the justice system.

DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach questioned the evidence of Kishene Chetty who is a member of the public.

Breytenbach’s concern is that most of Chetty’s evidence is about cases that are still pending in various courts. She says she is very worried that Chetty may incriminate himself in the process of testifying.

“I honestly submit. It is my view that we are about to seriously prejudice Mr Chetty whether he realises or not. It’s not really relevant. We are about to do serious damage to whatever case he may have and I will urged him to not proceed with this. We can take note of his affidavit. There is stuff that is really concerning here but we can read it. If he opens up to questions chair, I foresee serious problems. And I am not quite sure if I want to participate in this because once he does that it is our responsibility to question him. And it will really not come out right for him. It can only prejudice his case. I am not sure if his lawyer knows of this.”

VIDEO |Businessman Kishene Chetty’s testimony on conversation with private investigator Paul O’Sullivan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3oZJnDpv0E

African National Congress Member of Parliament, Xola Nqola, has expressed concern about the effectiveness of communication between the evidence leaders of the Ad Hoc Committee and the Chairperson Soviet Lekganyane.

There have been serious disagreements among committee members regarding the evidence from Chetty.

“Chair, I think it’s important. It would have been raised by members in our house keeping committee meetings that between the evidence leaders, the legal unit of Parliament and the secretariat, there must be a way of checking unto the nature of the people who apply to appear this committee because it’s quite cumbersome now if every now and then we are to discuss in this setting, in the presence of the person who would want to come and present to us, in front of South Africa that no this person was not supposed to be here.”