Advocate Arendse steps in as evidence leader for Mkhwanazi inquiry

ADVOCATE Norman Arendse, SC, was named las week Friday as the evidence leader for the Ad Hoc Committee that will inquire into the serious allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

- MAYIBONGWE MAGHINA

Arendse, will be assisted by two advocates, Maria Mokhoaetsi and Lerato Zikalala. This emerged when the committee met to receive a progress report on the preparations for its hearings set to start later this month.

Briefing the committee, chairperson Soviet Lekganyane said invitations have been sent to seven people identified by the committee.

These were Mkhwanazi, police commissioner Fannie Masemola, suspended minister Senzo Mchunu, deputy policy commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, acting minister Firoz Cachalia and deputy ministers Cassel Mathale and Polly Boshielo.

“There is no additional witness that has been invited. Signed letters are sent to the seven persons named here,” Lekganyane said.

He stated that no person has been given a date of appearance before the committee yet.

“In the letter we sent out, we requested them to respond before August 3 because we considered the urgency as we had planned to start by 10 September,” he said in an apparent report quoting Sibiya that he would testify on the said date.