In a powerful session before Parliament, the head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), Advocate Andrea Johnson, delivered a clear and unwavering message: every single person implicated in the Zondo Commission for taking bribes from Bosasa will face arrest.
The assurance came under sharp questioning from Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema, who pointed to the apparent paradox of high-profile figures like former minister Nomvula Mokonyane remaining free while other officials face charges.
Confronting the “Selective Justice” Question
Malema did not hold back, framing the issue as one of selective prosecution. “You have people eating chicken from Agrizzi’s food and being blessed with Austin Martins,” Malema stated, referencing the lavish bribes detailed in the Zondo Commission testimony. “Yet Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo is arrested over a regular appointment, and that becomes a big deal.”
He pressed Johnson directly: “It seems as though some cases are pursued vigorously while others are ignored. Are you telling us that more arrests will come from the Zondo evidence we have?”
In response, Johnson provided a forensic distinction. She explained that the case against General Khumalo involved “active gratification”a direct bribe to manipulate an appointment process for a candidate who was wholly unqualified. This, she argued, created a clear and prosecutable case of corruption.
However, she firmly agreed with the principle that all corruption must be pursued. “We are fully committed to investigating these matters,” Johnson stated, acknowledging the public’s frustration and promising that arrests from the Zondo Commission evidence are forthcoming.
Leadership in the Face of Death Threats
The hearing also took a deeply personal turn when DA MP Glenys Breytenbach asked Johnson about the death threats she has received as a consequence of her high-stakes work.
Johnson’s response was both sobering and resolute. “I don’t take the death threats lightly,” she admitted. “But stepping away from this work would mean someone else steps into my shoes. My life isn’t more meaningful than the next person’s.”
She revealed that the threats have made her “more wary and more alive,” noting grimly that “people have been taken out before – auditors, liquidators.” Despite this, her commitment was unwavering: “I’ve had my moments, but I have to get on with the job.”
Her steadfastness earned rare and direct praise from Julius Malema. “I see great leadership in you,” he said. “As a woman in your position, you will face challenges, but you have demonstrated true leadership here. Winnie Madikizela Mandela has multiplied.”
Facing down immense pressure, Johnson’s testimony was a declaration of intent. It signaled that the long wait for accountability in the Bosasa saga may finally be nearing its end, and that for IDAC, the principle that “nobody is untouchable” is not just a slogan, but a operational mandate.
{Source: IOL}
