Kamogelo Moichela|Published11 minutes agoWatch VideoJohnson concedes IDAC may have conducted unauthorised corruption probes | Madlanga Commission

Outgoing IDAC head, Advocate Andrea Johnson, had admitted under oath that investigators in her unit might have possibly conducted investigations with her approval. Outgoing Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) head,Advocate Andrea Johnsonhas made a damaging admission at the Madlanga Commission, conceding that investigators in her unit may have pursued corruption investigations without authorisation. The admission came during tense questioning by co-chair Sesi Baloyi, who challenged Johnson over how certain investigations had been initiated and conducted.

Baloyi suggested that investigators could have opened inquiries into individuals without approval or a clear legal mandate. “All your investigators, they may well be conducting investigations of individuals that are not authorised by you and that may possibly not be related to a subject matter with that kind of provision,” Baloyi said. The issue follows a complaint lodged by National Coloured Congress (NCC) leader and Member of Parliament Fadiel Adams against senior Crime Intelligence officials, including Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo, Brigadier Dineo Mokwele and other officers.

Adams accused the officials of corruption, abuse of state resources, interference, intimidation and irregular appointments. However, the commission heard last week that IDAC had no lawful basis to investigate Khumalo and the other officials. Johnson further acknowledged that IDAC was “not supposed to solicit” complaints directly from members of the public, an admission that intensified scrutiny over how the investigation originated. The outgoing IDAC chief also conceded that Mokwele had been arrested and charged with fraud and corruption over allegations that she lacked the qualifications required for her position, despite Johnson never personally verifying her academic credentials.