ActionSA MP Dereleen James has dismissed claims that she received classified documents that were allegedly slipped under the door of her parliamentary office.
The allegations were made by Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) State Advocate Drushantha Ramsamy during proceedings before the Madlanga Commission yesterday.
James says her only interaction with IDAC came after she issued a statement calling on the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) to investigate the alleged misuse of COVID-19 funds within Crime Intelligence.
James says the National Coloured Congress leader, Fadiel Adams, subsequently advised her to refer the matter to IDAC.
She says she was later contacted by IDAC Chief Investigator, Dylan Perumal.
“But he then called me and said, ‘I’ve been alerted by Fadiel Adams. I’ve gotten your number from Fadiel Adams. And he said that I should call you just to explain to you why it’s important for you not to follow the IPID route, why you should come to IDAC’. He said he’s the chief investigating officer. And I said to him, what’s the difference? Who are you? What’s your name and surname? And he said to me, you know what, ma’am, we are very far ahead with our investigations. And should you go to IPID, the scope might change. And when I sit back and I look at everything that has happened, obviously, they had a different agenda. Obviously, their scope of investigation was different,” explains James.
