DA, MK Party to lodge complaints for criminal investigation

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will be lodging a complaint against member of Parliament (MP) Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, while the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party will be lodging two complaints stemming from Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating police corruption

The well-trodden path between Parliament and the Cape Town Central Police Station will on Thursday again lead to parliamentarians laying a number of complaints for criminal investigation.

First, the DA will be lodging a complaint against Zuma-Sambudla, over her alleged involvement in recruiting South Africans to fight in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Zuma-Sambudla’s half-sister filed similar charges against her in Johannesburg over the weekend.

“The DA will file the criminal case with the SAPS [South African Police Service] to investigate the roles of Zuma-Sambudla after 17 men find themselves fighting in an active war zone reportedly lured there by members of the MK Party.

“New evidence and facts have recently emerged in this matter. The matter will also address possible foreign policy implications of the Department of International Relations’silence on the matter,” said the DA’s international relations spokesperson, MP Ryan Smith.

Meanwhile, the MK Party said it will be laying two complaints.

The first is aimed at crime analyst Mary de Haas, who appeared before Parliament's ad hoc committee probing police corruption last week, and whom the party said had misled Parliament about her academic qualifications.

A second complaint from the party is levelled against forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan for a threatening text he’s believed to have sent another witness at the inquiry, Cedric Nkabinde, while he was giving evidence last week.

“We will also bring in the fact that he further submitted intimidating correspondence, which was reportedly channelled through the evidence leader, Advocate Norman Arendse, to MK Party members.

“This conduct appears to contravene provisions of the Constitution, the Powers and Privileges Act, and the Intimidation Act,” said the MK Party's spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndlela.