PRETORIA - Independent Directorate Against Corruption head Andrea Johnson has admitted that the directorate requested MP Fadiel Adams to submit a Section 27 referral against Crime Intelligence Head Dumisani Khumalo.
A Section 27 referral allows a complainant to approach the directorate directly, bypassing the SAPS process.
Johnson had initially denied that such a request had been made.
During proceedings, co-commissioner Sandile Khumalo questioned whether suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu's letter should itself have been regarded as a Section 27 referral.
He pointed to the heading of the letter, which referred to a "referral and request in terms of Section 27", arguing that, from the minister's perspective, it constituted the referral.
Khumalo said the appropriate response would have been to state that the letter did not comply with the requirements of Section 27.
Commissioner Sesi Baloyi agreed, adding that there was nothing in the minister's letter linking the referral to MP Fadiel Adams.
She said the document showed it was the ministry, and not Adams, that was purporting to make a referral in terms of Section 27.