‘Sifolo’s evidence relies on documents declassified for the Inquiry’

Chief Evidence Leader, Advocate Matthew Chaskalson, has told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that Acting Coordinator of the National Intelligence Coordinating Committee (NICOC), Dr Ntandazo Sifolo’s evidence relies largely on intelligence documents that have only been partially declassified for use by the Commission.

The Commission’s evidence leaders have applied for his testimony to be heard in-camera.

However, the application is being opposed by media houses Daily Maverick , amaBhungane and News24 .

Chaskalson says the declassification order allows the commissioners and evidence leaders to access the documents but does not permit their public dissemination.

He says, “They’ve expressly not been declassified for the purposes of public dissemination.

What that means is that, as things stand, the commission can only hear the evidence of Dr Sifolo on those documents if that evidence is in-camera.

If the evidence is not in-camera, then the declassification order, as it stands, precludes the commission from hearing the evidence.” LIVE STREAM | Madlanga Commission of Inquiry: