Former Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) head, Advocate Andrea Johnson, has again admitted the anti-corruption unit exceeded its legal mandate and conceded she “must have known” why it sought records relating to the promotions of Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) members.
This concession follows a sharp questioning from the Madlanga Commission.
Johnson faced sustained questioning from Commission chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga over her approval of an April 2025 summons requesting information on the promotions of PKTT commanders and members, despite maintaining earlier that she had not been aware the specialised police unit was under investigation.
Her evidence unravelled as Madlanga challenged her explanation, pointing to widespread public reporting about the then-Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s controversial attempt to disband the PKTT in December 2024, months before Johnson authorised the summons.
Johnson acknowledged that IDAC had investigated matters beyond its legal mandate, including SAPS promotions, reinforcing an earlier concession that the directorate had also investigated the PKTT despite it falling outside its jurisdiction.
Although Johnson insisted there had been “no sinister motive” behind the summons and said it related to promotions granted through deviations, the commission questioned whether she had deliberately ignored clear warning signs.
Madlanga said the extensive public debate surrounding the attempted disbandment of the PKTT should have prompted serious questions before the records request was approved.
“You were not being truthful this morning,” Madlanga told Johnson, saying it was difficult to accept that such widely reported events had failed to raise concerns.
Co-commissioner, Sesi Baloyi also suggested Johnson knew exactly why the information was being requested.
Madlanga pressed her directly.
“You must have known what was going on.”
Johnson eventually conceded the point.
“I have nothing to gainsay that. I must have known,” she replied.
She nevertheless maintained that the developments surrounding the PKTT never triggered alarm within IDAC because the dispute was viewed as an internal police matter that did not affect the directorate’s investigations.
Johnson said she had seen reports about the conflict involving Mchunu, police leadership and the KwaZulu-Natal-based task team but believed the matter fell outside IDAC’s operational responsibilities.
“There were no alarm bells for me and for IDAC,” she told the commission.
Johnson also disclosed that Mchunu had called her and Hawks head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya to a meeting concerning what she described as a criminal allegation.
She said she informed the minister that she reported to the Minister of Justice before leaving the meeting, adding that Lebeya later told her the Hawks would deal with the issue.
The commission further heard that another witness was expected to testify that Johnson had discussed the PKTT with Mchunu before the summons was issued.
Johnson rejected that suggestion, saying her earlier engagement with the minister had been nothing more than a meet-and-greet.
She is expected resume her testimony on Wednesday.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
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