McBride soon to spill beans

Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) director Robert McBride’s sworn statement to the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture is set to lift the lid on how law enforcement agencies failed to carry out their mandate.

Despite McBride taking the stand yesterday and ready to give evidence, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo granted a postponement to the hearing to give the implicated parties ample time to respond.

In terms of the commission’s 3.3 rule, the inquiry is expected to issue notices to the implicated 14 days before the hearing of evidence.

McBride’s evidence, expected to be heard in weeks, is said to be the most damning since that of former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi last month.

With his sworn statement finalised at 6pm on Wednesday following several days of consultation between the commission’s legal team and McBride, evidence leader Paul Pretorius applied for a delay to find a suitable date for the hearing “without a break”.

Besides implicating high-profile persons, Pretorius said McBride’s testimony would deal with attempts to undermine the mandate and role of Ipid.

“The 30 people implicated are professionals and hold high office in government. But they shouldn’t expect preferential treatment by virtue of their position,” he said.

“Evidence Mr McBride is about to give has to be further investigated by the commission and be put in sequence to properly deal with the functioning and structure of law enforcement agencies.

“His statement deals with those seeking to influence the functioning and role that law enforcement agencies did not play over the last few years.”

In granting the postponement, Zondo said the commission “should be seen to be consistent and not allow witnesses to give evidence when those implicated have not been served with notices in terms of rule 3.3”.

Former president Jacob Zuma, ministers and senior state officials are expected to be among those implicated by McBride.

Giving testimony yesterday, Congress of the People spokesperson Dennis Bloem, who served in the standing committee on intelligence, confirmed being briefed by former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor in August 2010 about the meeting she had with the Guptas when the offer of minister of public enterprises was made.

Evidence Mr McBride is about to give has to be further investigated.

Paul Pretorius Evidence leader at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture