The Madlanga Commission chairperson, Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, has slammed General Firoz Khan’s legal team for suggesting that his life was put at risk by leaks from the inquiry.
The legal team appeared before the commission to discuss the postponement of Khan’s appearance following a shooting that left him hospitalised. They implied that he had feared for his life and that the shooting may have been prompted by the leak of an application he had recently submitted to the inquiry, requesting permission to testify in camera.
Madlanga took serious exception to the suggestion made by Zubair Khan, the General’s lawyer.
“It suggests that we were served with the application late last night and that General Khan may well have been shot because of a leak from the commission. If you are ever going to hold media briefings again, be careful about what you say. Do not say anything that may impugn the integrity of this commission. You should be very careful about that,” said a visibly disturbed Madlanga.
The legal team also claimed that individuals visited Khan in hospital, claiming to be from the commission and the SAPS. However, the inquiry says it did not send anyone.
An offended Madlanga said he would accept nothing short of an immediate apology.