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I get worried when people in the Commission say you can delete information, but we will find it. It scares me. We’re alerting criminals that we want to arrest. – ANC secretary general, Fikile Mbalula.

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Sizwe sama Yende

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ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula has implored the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry to protect secret state information and indirectly slammed KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lt General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, for revealing that even deleted cellphone conversations could be retrieved.

Mbalula, speaking at the ANC’s provincial general council in Mpumalanga on Saturday, said that transparency on information such as that alerted criminals.

Mkhwanazi, on whose inflammatory allegations about criminal infiltration of the police and judiciary as well as disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) the commission was established, has testified before the commission and a Parliament Ad Hoc Committee.

He has indicated that crime intelligence officers could access information either by consent of the individual or through applying for permission in court.

The Madlanga Commission has decided to hear testimony of certain individuals in camera.

DON’T ALERT CRIMINALS

Mbalula said that the ANC supported the Commission, but its support did not mean it ignored its weaknesses. “We are committed to correct any anomalities exposed in testimony and to strengthening the democratic state – constitutionally, procedurally, and ethically. The Commission must be empowered to draw the line,” he said.

He said that the Commission must separate legitimate transparency from disclosure of sensitive or classified information that could harm national security.  

“I get worried when people in the Commission say you can delete information, but we will find it. It scares me. We’re alerting criminals that we want to arrest. The Commission must be strict about that. We can’t allow the collapse of national security. There are things ordinary people must not know,” Mbalula said.

“We know today that police can’t get your messages without permission from the judge. We don’t want to know how thieves are listened to. Those are state secrets. We must not prevaricate and fudge the truth. South Africa can’t be turned into a Banana Republic.”

The Commission has been hearing testimony for two weeks while the parliamentary committee is on its second week.

After Mkhwanazi finished his testimony, suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and deputy police commissioner, Lt General Shadrack Sibiya, have  testified about his controversial decision to disband the PKTT.

Mkhwanazi has said that that Mchunu was influenced to disband the team  as crime suspects thought this would derail investigations against them.

Mchunu has told Parliament he directed that the team be disbanded for budgetary reasons, and because he didn’t want to double up on certain crimefighting strategies.

ALLIANCE WITH THE SACP

Mbalula said that the ANC still wanted to the SACP as an alliance partner but launched a veiled attack on the party’s poor showing in by-elections it had contested.

He however lauded the party for producing leaders of quality that have contributed in bringing direction in the ANC.

The SACP has resolved to contest the 2026 local government elections independently, and indication of a widening abyss with the alliance.

“We still want the SACP to be within the fold. Others will say they don’t have numbers, because when we go to by-elections they [get] 70 votes. They were not formed for that and the SACP never came to the ANC with numbers,” Mbalula said.

“We are not scared when they get four or three votes. [Elections] is not their thing. We always knew that the SACP brought quality in the ANC. They shaped us and brought political direction,” he said.