Summary of Hlungwani’s Testimony:
Hlungwani’s testimony centers around a perceived orchestrated campaign of retaliation against him after he refused to approve the R45 million purchase of a “grabber” (surveillance equipment). Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
1. Timeline & Initial Retaliation:
* His troubles began immediately after refusing the “grabber” purchase and shortly after the ANC National Conference in December 2017.
* He received a transfer notice from General Ngcobo on the same day the ANC conference concluded, which he believes was a direct result of his refusal.
2. Allegations of Corruption & ANC Funding:
* Hlungwani alleges the “grabber” procurement was part of a conspiracy to illegally fund the ANC conference.
* He claims intelligence operatives, including former National Commissioner General Khehla sithole, inflated the price of the equipment.
* He specifically implicates former Minister Fikile Mbalula, alleging Mbalula asked Sithole to inflate prices to funnel money to an unnamed ANC faction.
3.Separate Financial Misconduct Allegations:
* He was initially investigated regarding a fraudulent criminal complaint lodged by Major General Obed Nemutanzhela in September 2017, related to financial misconduct.
* He was cleared by Counterintelligence in that investigation.
* He insists this separate case was not the core of the campaign against him, but rather the “grabber” issue.
4. “Company Z” & Misappropriated Funds:
* Hlungwani claims “Company Z” stole millions from the Secret Service account.
* He alleges a woman with close ties to SAPS finances was responsible, but refused to name her.
* He questions the legitimacy of a seven-million-rand payment to the company, stating the services were never quantified and the “grabber” itself is illegal.
5. Lack of Concrete Evidence & Committee Skepticism:
* the committee, led by Nomvalo, expressed skepticism towards Hlungwani’s claims.
* Nomvalo demanded tangible evidence to support his allegations, rather than just statements about ongoing investigations.
* hlungwani acknowledged ongoing investigations but maintained his facts shoudl be considered valuable to the inquiry.
In essence,Hlungwani paints a picture of a politically motivated campaign to discredit and punish him for refusing to participate in a corrupt scheme to fund the ANC through inflated procurement costs. However, his testimony relies heavily on allegations and lacks the concrete evidence the committee is seeking.