No appearance! Brown Mogotsi faces arrest threat from commission

Madlanga

Pretoria – The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which is investigating criminality within South Africa’s criminal justice system, experienced another delay on Monday after witness Brown Mogotsi failed to appear, claiming illness shortly before Monday’s hearing.

The commission said no medical certificate had been submitted and warned that legal action, including a possible arrest warrant, could be pursued if necessary.

Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels cautioned against last-minute claims of illness without proof.

The commission also announced that it would begin contempt-of-commission proceedings against Mogotsi for failing to attend.

However, the inquiry was postponed to Wednesday at 09h30 after the chairperson, retired Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, agreed to stand the matter down to allow time for submission of medical proof.

“At present, and until we have the medical certificate, Mr Mogotsi is in contempt and our idea, when we discussed the matter amongst the three of us, was to say that because he is in contempt from where we’re sitting, we are going to have the Commission initiate the necessary legal processes against him. It is purely because of the request that you have made that we will not immediately have those processes initiated. We’ll stand the matter down until Wednesday morning at 09h30.” 

Officials stressed that Mogotsi would remain in contempt until a valid medical certificate was provided and that formal legal processes could be initiated if he continues to fail to appear.

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