Fadiel Adams admits earlier laptop claim was wrong as he returns to Madlanga Commission

Suspended Member of Parliament Fadiel Adams returned to the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday and admitted that he had given incorrect information at an earlier appearance about why he had not seen the commission’s emails.

Admission over laptop claim

Adams told the commission he had previously said he saw emails late because his Parliament-issued laptop was “freezing and crashing”, but that version was wrong. He said he did not intend to mislead the commission.

“My mother is watching, that if definitely not the case.”

At his earlier appearance, Adams had said his laptop had not been working for about a year and a half, which he said prevented him from responding to emails from the inquiry. He also testified that he only became aware of a request for his statement about three months ago.

Parliament challenges and renewed scrutiny

Parliament has challenged Adams’s earlier account about the laptop, placing the issue at the centre of renewed scrutiny as he resumed testimony. His return follows a reprimand from Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga over a late affidavit submission.

Allegations against Crime Intelligence revisited

Adams’s testimony is expected to revisit the allegations he previously made against senior Crime Intelligence officials and the report he submitted to the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC).

In 2024, Adams opened six criminal cases in Cape Town and Soweto against Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo and other officials, accusing them of misconduct. He said he had confidential reports supporting his allegations.

IDAC, prosecutions and disputed evidence

After the South African Police Service did not pursue the matter, Adams approached IDAC. His report was one of the factors surrounding arrests linked to the appointment of Brigadier Dineo Mokwele.

The prosecution later moved to withdraw the charges after evidence from former IDAC head Andrea Johnson. Johnson told the commission:

“Here I brought a subjective mind to bear on the information the person gave us.”

Khumalo challenged Adams’s complaints about appointments, saying:

“Mr Adams says none of these people were suitable to be appointed to the post. That’s his personal view without grounds to support that,”

What comes next

Adams’s return to the commission brings renewed attention to both his credibility and the substance of his allegations against Crime Intelligence officials. His testimony on Wednesday continued the inquiry’s examination of those claims and related procedural issues.