The Madlanga Commission has criticised controversial blogger Musa Khawula for making public his communications with its officials.
Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels said discussions with persons of interest and potential witnesses are intended to remain strictly confidential to protect those involved.
Michaels addressed the media during a doorstep briefing following the commission’s adjournment on Wednesday.
“We certainly do not want to engage in public discussion on individual matters between the Commission and those concerned,” Michaels said. “In this instance, the individual chose to go public and share his account. For our part, we will not respond to that discussion in public. We are committed to respecting the confidentiality of the Commission’s engagements and do not wish to encourage such disclosures.”
Khawula’s name surfaced during the proceedings after Sergeant Fannie Nkosi testified — in evidence that is yet to be concluded — that he was pressured by suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner General Shadrack Sibiya to arrest the blogger on cybercrime-related charges. Nkosi alleged that Khawula had drawn attention after posting about ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula and an individual identified as Zee Nxumalo.
Michaels said he could not confirm whether Khawula would be called to testify before the inquiry.
“We would also like to discourage individuals who are in confidential engagement with the Commission from making those interactions public or sharing them on social media,” he said.
The Commission is particularly concerned about what appears to be a screenshot of a message sent to Khawula, allegedly by a Commission representative.
“In this case, what appears to be a screenshot of the Commission’s communication with the individual has been circulated publicly,” Michaels said. “We strongly encourage all those engaging with the Commission to respect the confidentiality of those interactions.”