DA's Ian Cameron Accused of Joining Push to Remove Fannie Masemola in MadlangaTestimony
- State Advocate Drushantha Ramsamy told the Madlanga Commission that DA MP Ian Cameron supported an alleged campaign against top police officials
- Ramsamy alleged IDAC investigators shared top-secret Crime Intelligence documents with Cameron and ActionSA MP Dereleen James
- Former IDAC head Andrea Johnson allegedly instructed investigators to keep Police Commissioner Masemola unaware of probes before a parliamentary appearance
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SOUTH AFRICA — State Advocate Drushantha Ramsamy has told the Madlanga Commission that Democratic Alliance MP Ian Cameron backed an alleged effort to force National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola and Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo out of their positions.
Ramsamy was testifying about investigations into alleged corruption within Crime Intelligence, conducted by the former Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC). She raised serious concerns about how those investigations were carried out, arguing that standard procedures were bypassed.
Cameron allegedly brought on board a specific narrative
Rather than waiting for complaints to be filed through official channels, Ramsamy told the commission that IDAC investigator Dylan Perumal actively approached Cameron and ActionSA MP Dereleen James and recruited them as complainants. She further alleged that classified Crime Intelligence documents were shared with both MPs in the process.
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Ramsamy testified that Cameron embraced a targeted narrative centred on removing the country's senior police leadership.
"They went to him with a specific narrative and he was on board," she said.
She added that the message being advanced was that Khumalo and Masemola "need to leave."
When Commissioner Sesi Baloyi pressed Ramsamy on whether Cameron had knowingly participated or had been misled, she maintained her position that he had supported the narrative regardless.
Johnson allegedly wanted Masemola to "lie" to parliament
Ramsamy also levelled serious allegations against former IDAC head Advocate Andrea Johnson. According to the witness, Johnson instructed investigators not to inform Masemola of several ongoing Crime Intelligence investigations ahead of his appearance before Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police.
The alleged intent, Ramsamy testified, was to leave Masemola unprepared and unaware when he faced the committee. She claimed Johnson instructed the team to "let him lie" to Parliament. Baloyi questioned whether this amounted to a deliberate attempt to target the National Commissioner, and Ramsamy agreed, noting that certain committee members had reportedly been briefed on elements of the investigations while Masemola was allegedly kept in the dark.
James rejected Ramsamy's account entirely, denying that she ever received classified documents and accusing investigators of fabricating the allegation.
Madlanga questions Advocate Johnson over Masemola
Briefly News also reported that Madlanga Commission of Inquiry chair argued that placing Police Commissioner-General Fannie Masemola in the same trial as individuals charged with fraud and corruption was a deliberate move intended to damage his public image. According to various news reports, the argument was raised during proceedings examining whether Masemola's statutory charges under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) should remain joined with the wider Matlala corruption case. Madlanga questioned witness Andrea Johnson on the decision to consolidate Masemola's PFMA charges with those of the accused facing serious fraud and corruption counts.
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Source: Briefly News
