At the current Madlanga Commission, a witness made a shocking allegation on Monday, claiming that photographs and videos of a firearm were transferred using the phone of the late former Deputy President DD Mabuza. This allegation has the potential to shake up the entire situation.
Witness ‘F’ said that on November 15, 2024, he received a photograph of a weapon together with movies illustrating its use. The picture and footage looked to have originated from Mabuza’s phone. On the other hand, the witness repeated over and over again that the deceased Deputy President was not the one who was responsible for providing the content. Witness ‘F’ stated that the material was sent by Siphiwe Mabuza, who is DD Mabuza’s nephew. Siphiwe Mabuza had accessed the former minister’s phone in order to distribute the material.
It was not DD Mabuza who was here. It is important to me that this be made apparent,” Witness ‘F’ stated before the commission. Although he was the owner of the phone, his nephew was the one who initially emailed the picture.
Following the testimony, there has been a heightened level of scrutiny about the dissemination of sensitive content that is purportedly associated with prominent political leaders. In the course of the commission’s more comprehensive inquiry into the events surrounding security breaches and the probable misuse of communication devices associated with key political leaders, witness ‘F’ was summoned to testify.
The complexity of the case was brought to the attention of several legal experts after the proceedings. Obtaining access to and using the phone of a public figure who has passed away in order to communicate content that could potentially incriminate them presents concerns under both criminal law and civil law. A legal analyst by the name of Professor Thabo Nkosi stated that if this were to be validated, it may result in charges of impersonation or unlawful use of the equipment belonging to another individual. For this reason, it is of the utmost importance to discern between the acts of the phone’s owner and those of individuals who may have accessed it after the owner’s death.
In the past, the commission, which is currently being directed by Chief Justice Raymond Madlanga, has been responsible for attending to a number of testimony that have dealt with sensitive political and security issues. In addition to adding a new facet to the investigation, the revelation made by Witness ‘F brings to light the importance of conducting thorough forensic verification of all equipment and digital communications that are associated with the deceased DD Mabuza.
It has not yet been made public whether or not Siphiwe Mabuza, the nephew who was referenced in the evidence, has responded to the charges. In the meanwhile, it is anticipated that the commission will investigate the forensic data that was taken from the phone in order to determine who exactly transmitted the photographs of the firearms and whether or not any further individuals were involved.
Those who have seen the situation have stated that the testimony highlights the growing significance of digital evidence in high-profile investigations as well as the difficulties associated with precisely attributing acts in situations involving deceased officials.
The Madlanga Commission is continuing its proceedings, and additional witnesses are slated to testify on subjects relevant to the investigation in the coming weeks.
