ActionSA MP Dereleen James Demands CCTV Review After IDAC Claims at Madlanga Commission

• ActionSA MP Dereleen James called on SAPS to urgently secure CCTV footage from Parliament after IDAC investigators made claims about her office at the Madlanga Commission
• James said access to her parliamentary floor is strictly controlled, and she insisted the footage would contradict what IDAC investigators told the commission
• The MP revealed she had previously rejected an approach from an IDAC investigator and refused all further engagement with the body

SOUTH AFRICA — ActionSA Member of Parliament Dereleen James has called on the South African Police Service to urgently obtain and review CCTV footage from the area surrounding her parliamentary office, after investigators from the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) alleged at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that classified documents had been slipped under her door.

James, who also serves as ActionSA's Western Cape Provincial Chairperson, responded publicly to the commission testimony on 5 August 2026, categorically rejecting the IDAC investigators' account as "a blatant lie." The MP pointed out that her floor in Parliament operates under strict access controls and is covered by security cameras, arguing that the footage would confirm no such delivery of documents ever took place. She maintained that the monitored environment made the claim implausible.

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James disputes Parliamentary access claims

James traced the matter back to January 2025, when she issued a public statement calling on the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) to investigate how Crime Intelligence had acquired a hotel. Shortly after, she said an IDAC investigator contacted her and suggested IDAC handle the matter rather than IPID. She said she rejected the proposal outright, describing it as an uncomfortable overture that she believed was aimed at redirecting her parliamentary oversight work.

Following that refusal, James, who recently received criticism from Robert Marawa, said she cut off all engagement with both IDAC and the National Prosecuting Authority, unwilling to allow her concerns about police misconduct to become entangled in what she described as a separate scheme. She added that she remains proud of her role on Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee, which she said has been working to remove individuals within institutions such as SAPS and IDAC who exploit the criminal justice system to protect criminal interests.

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Read the statement on X here:

Netizens share mixed views

Social media users reacted to James' statement with divided views.

@eblos wrote:

"As her supporters, we are happy she cleared this because people were now saying she is dodgy."

@Manikipi raised a pointed question:

"Okay, but did you receive classified documents in any other way other than underneath your office door? It doesn't come out in your statement, yet it's more key than the method of receipt."

@IKhumna16252 added:

"I believe you, Honourable Member. Your instincts are sharp like that."

Others were more sceptical, with @CassamiaBonjour writing:

"Sometimes just keep quiet… it will save you a lot of explanation."

Dereleen James mocks Madlanga witnesses

In a related article, Briefly News reported on James's sarcastic remarks regarding Advocate Andrea Johnson's hospitalisation ahead of her Madlanga Commission appearance. The ongoing pattern of medical-related delays among key witnesses raises questions about the integrity of the proceedings and has drawn widespread commentary across South Africa.

Source: Briefly News