Thread by @pule_jones

[LIVE THREAD 🔴⚪️🔵]
Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa: EMPD Spokesperson and Head of Media and Public Relations Unit takes the stand

Adv Ofentse Motlhasedi leads evidence.

#eNCA #MadlangaCommision

https://twitter.com/pule_jones/status/1988901873365942600

Thepa says she started with EMPD in 2009. She tells the commissioners about her career background. @eNCA

Thepa said she spoke on behalf of the Chief of Police. Conducting interviews with journalists, taking media enquiries and disseminating media statements to the public.

09:54
Thepa said commissioner Spies via email, told her that Police impersonation was a serious offense and that there was no formal MOUs with the City.

Previously we heard from Xolani Nciza the former employee relations director who said Mkhwanazi signed a purpoted MOU between the municipality and CAT VIP. Nciza said no MOU existed.

STATEMENT UNDER OATH:
According to Thepa - the department submitted response to News24.

8th February 2023 - Thepa said she recieved another query from Wicks regarding the vehicles being registered to EMPD. The Vehicles had been "donated" by Cat VIP. Wicks wanted to know if the vehicles were under the EMPD fleet.

Thepa said she fowarded the questions to commissioner Spies. She says all vehicles under Ekurhuleni are controlled by the transport department. "It wasn't anything easily accessible. It was not information I had in my possession, as the transport department fleet section was responsible for the vehicles."Thepa said.

NB: Chris Steyn from the fleet Department would have substantive information regarding the vehicles.

The story was massive according to Thepa - which led to an influx of media enquiries.

Thepa said they didn't respond as a department to further enquiries

Thepa said other enquiries were directed to the City Managers office. And that the office would be better placed to respond to Transport and HR related matters.

Thepa said she issued a directive that the City Managers get involved to avoid conflicting statements. "The questions were technical and required further engagement."

Thepa says she was told to "back off" and that the City Managers office would handle the enquiry.

Thepa says their efforts and response by the former City Managers did little to calm the storm.

Thepa says they know their own vehicles. The "donated cars" were luxury cars. "Under no circumstance would you find a black BMW doing law enforcement." She says the cars a designated for Mayors and Councilors.

Thepa said Mama Cat was not an EMPD officer and that the escort to the airport wouldn't be lawful. @eNCA

AFTERMATH OF BLUELIGHTS SCANDAL

Thepa says it was clear the matter wouldn't die down. Communication was sent to Colonel Hennie Erasmus EMPD's Head of Internal Affairs,
and later Mkhwanazi was suspended

Thepa says the story continued to grow legs on Mkhwanazis suspension but above all his return to work when suspension was lifted

In May 2023 Thepa said she was approached by Colonel Xulu - who wanted more information on the bluelights Saga.

Thepa says she had several meetings with Mr Xulu. Thepa says the matter was known Internally at the department as meetings happend at EMPD offices.

Mr Xulu (IPID I.O) said Thepa must prepare a statement regarding the matter. Thepa adds that by doing so, she was putting her life in danger, "You asking me to take a person risk", she said. Thepa said a lot was happening in the background.

Thepa said she didn't know Vusimusi Cat Matlala when she got the enquiry. She only knew later when communication was restricted in one office. "It created an element of discomfort." Thepa says the are Certain IPID members who are "captured".

Xulu assured Thepa that a task team had been established for the investigation.
NB: Xulu was coming from KZN.
Thepa then says that encouraged her to give a statement. Thepa says they wanted to minimize risk factors coming with the investigations hence Xulu was brought in.

Xulu told Thepa thay Mkhwanazi said she was a dirty cop and had a defeating the ends of justice case against her.

On the Defeating the ends of Justice claim:

Thepa says one of the officers were shot in an attempted hijacking. Upon arrival she was issued with a firearm as she was the first to the scene. The officer on scene instructed Thepa to give the firearm to armory section. She says the firearm wasn't placed on the scene. A communication officer from SAPS "misconstrued" the situation saying a firearm was taken off the scene. Thepa says its a 2023 matter.

Thepa says it was clear that Mkhwanazi would discredit anything that had to do with his investigations - which included giving statements.

Thepa says Xulu promised imminent arrests. The key players in the process was Thepa, Spies and Ivan Du Plessis (Chief of Police staff officer) who shared information to IPID.

Thepa says it was only later she realized the situation would have a blow back on her. She said it became clear that powerful people at the municipality were not satisfied on how she responded to the New24 query.

July 2023 - Thepa says it was the first time she was attacked. She was sitting with a neighbor on the passenger seat and three men came to the vehicle where she was seated. She was pointed with a firearm. One of the suspects demanded that she switch off the car. Thepa says another came in from behind the passenger seat and placed the firearm on her neck.

Thepa becomes emotional - and explains she was hit on the head with the firearm and she was pushed to the passenger seat. They drove past her house.

Commission takes a short adjournment for Thepa to compose herself. @eNCA

@eNCA
Thepa says it was a Saturday July 2023. She details the story again.

Thepa says one the suspects reached to switch off ignition but struggled. She was told to switch off the car. Thepa says she was confused and puzzled as to what was going on.

She says the one suspect went to the passenger and she was was pushed to the back.

Thepa says they wanted information from her phone and that "she was a problem at work". Thepa adds that she passed out.

Thepa says she was unresponsive and adds she continued to see what was going as the suspects drove to Ivory Park. Thepa said they asked the neighbor in the backseat to open Thepas phone.

"This must have been one of the scariest things."

The suspects took Thepas phone and wallet and tells the commission they could've withdrawn the money from her cards. She says the suspects didn't come there for anything but her phone. @eNCA

@eNCA
The suspects then allegedly asked the neighbour to take Thepa to the hospital as she was epileptic. The first thing she did was to block her cards when she got home.

She then registered a case of kidnapping, pointed with firearm and theft. Thepa says what was a hindrance is that the vehicles didn't belong to her - and SAPS wanted to take the vehicle to use to obtain fingerprints for investigations.

Thepa said she couldn't give in the vehcile for further processing. It wasn't her. She wanted the vehicle processed at the Station instead.

Thepa says its a confusing element for her not to have police summon an officer from the LCRC (Local Criminal Record Centre)
to process fingerprints from the vehcile ( Not Thepas Car) she drove in at the Rabasotho police station.

Thepa says the SAPS officer wasn't courteous enough to go the extra mile to assist Thepa with processing the vehicle at the police station. "I Know LCR could come".

@eNCA

Col. Thepa tells the commission- her brother tried to open a case but she was defeated and didn't have the energy to fight.
"I was shattered, I was out of it."

Thepa says her friend found her at the police station and then later said she would wait for her at her house.

Thepa says she informed Chief Mapiyeye what transpired and that what had happened was related to work - due to what the assailants said. Mapiyeye was apparently attentive.

Thepa says she tracked her phone all the way to a taxi rank.

Thepa says an EMPD officer called Nomapha was looking for her. Nomapha apparently has a child with Brig Mkhwanazi. Thepa says she found it strange. She was told by Mapiyeye's PA.

Thepa says she was puzzled, "we not even friends nor associates we just colleagues at EMPD."

Thepa trying to connect the dots questions how weird is it that Nomapha who shares a relationship with Mkhwanazi wanted to know about her whereabouts. She adds this was linked to the incident.

Thepa questions who was she to recieve protection - if Commissioner Spies was recieving threats and no one protected. Thepa says a Grey Audi had been following her for sometime. A registration plate was checked and the vehicle was registered to a person with the surname of Mkhwanazi based in Pretoria.

@eNCA
Thepa says due to referring Mkhwanazi for investigation - he found himself facing threats.

NB: Rievo Spies told the commission the former City Manager said Spies has a gun and can protect himself - when he faced threats.

Thepa says it was clear - the incident was done to send a stern warning to her.

@eNCA Thepa says she was told by spokesperson Zweli Dlamini that all related media queries must be directed to the City Manager.

We adjourn for tea break. @eNCA