ID denies interrogating Joemat-Pettersson on Mkhwebane extortion claim

The Investigating Directorate (ID) says it is not dealing with any allegations involving complaints by suspended public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane. 

The ID was reacting to a newspaper article which claimed the late ANC MP Tina Joemat-Pettersson was questioned by the ID last Saturday, two days before her death.

At the time of her death, Joemat-Pettersson faced extortion allegations from David Skosana, the husband of Mkhwebane. Before her death on Monday, the National Assembly had announced that the allegations would be investigated.

Skosana claimed that at a meeting at OR Tambo International Airport, Joemat-Pettersson asked him for a bribe to make the section 194 inquiry investigating Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office “go away”. He laid a charge of extortion at the police station at the airport. 

City Press said Joemat-Pettersson was informed that she would be arrested if she refused to co-operate with the investigators during a two-hour meeting.

“The ID team did meet Joemat-Pettersson to clarify issues on an existing ID matter. She was not interviewed as a suspect but the team sought to clarify an issue in her official capacity on a matter,” ID spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said. 

She said any intimation that her death related to the visit by the ID team was contemptuous and ill-informed. 

“The ID team will not be used to create sensation around the untruths,” Seboka said.

Meanwhile, Mkhwebane has announced she will host a media briefing in Johannesburg on Tuesday where she will talk about the latest in the section 194 inquiry.

She is also expected to provide evidence of extortion, bribery and corruption against the chair of the section 194 inquiry Qubudile Dyantyi, ANC parliamentary chief whip Pemmy Majodina and Joemat-Pettersson. 

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