The parliamentary legal advisor stated that attorney and forensic fraud examiner Sarah-Jane Trent is an admitted attorney of the High Court and had legal representation when she consulted evidence leaders before testifying at the Ad Hoc Committee.
Image: Phando Jikelo / Parliament RSA
The Ad Hoc Committee has rejected the request by attorney and certified fraud examiner Sarah-Jane Trent to declare her oral evidence invalid and strike it from the official record of the Ad Hoc Committee.
Trent wrote to the committee claiming she was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in 2017, and on the day of testimony, she was so overwhelmed because she suffered secondary trauma and had been held against her will.
On Tuesday, Committee Chairperson Soviet Lekganyane said Trent had been asked about her fitness to continue with the proceedings.
“Ms Trent appeared before us, and she can’t claim that she has been prejudiced. A question was asked, on her insistence, the proceedings went ahead,” he said.
Parliamentary legal advisor Andile Tetyana stated that Trent claimed in her letter that on the day of testimony, she was unable to concentrate, understand, and follow questions to answer in a coherent manner.
Tetyana also said she claimed that she has since sought a forensic psychologist to carry out an analysis of her condition and provide a report.
“She even makes an allegation that she was held against her will,” he said.
However, Tetyana noted that Trent was an admitted attorney of the High Court and had legal representation when she consulted the evidence leaders.
“Even the affidavit put together as part of the record of the committee was a product of her consulting with the attorney and also consulting with evidence leaders.”
He warned that entertainin g her request would open the committee to other requests and might leave it without a comprehensive report.
“The only competent forum that can force the committee to discard her evidence is a competent court of law.”
Tetyana added that even the report from the forensic psychologist has not been provided to the committee.
“We should be very much circumspect of people who appear before us and write to the committee saying their evidence must be excised,” he said.
ANC MP Khusela Sangoni-Diko said there was no rule in the parliamentary rules that had a provision of striking from the record any evidence that had been provided to the committee.
Sangoni-Diko also said that when she broke down, Trent had been asked how she would like to give her testimony, and she was adamant about proceeding.
“It is a bit disingenuous that she would come now, a couple of weeks later, and raise the issue of being coerced in any manner or suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,” she added.
DA MP Glyniss Breytenbach echoed Sangoni-Diko’s sentiments, saying they can’t strike evidence from the official record.
“The committee does not have the power to do that. The only option for her is to take us on review,” said Breytenbach.
IFP MP Albert Mncwango said the claim that Trent was under duress when she gave oral evidence was devoid of any truth.
“She was allowed to go out and recollect herself, and she came back and continued. It can’t be now she wants to withdraw such evidence she freely gave,” said Mncwango.
The committee also dismissed a letter from businessman Vusimuzi “Cat “ Matlala’s lawyers, who accused it of relying on WhatsApp messages found in his device and purported to be between him and North West businessman Brown Mogotsi.
Matlala appeared before the committee in November 2025 while detained at Kgosi Mampuru Maximum Prison.
Tetyana said Matlala had, in his affidavit, indicated that his comments were restricted to those he recalled and maintained others were manipulated or altered.
He told the MPs that Matlala had commented and engaged with the text messages before the committee voluntarily, before his legal representative.
“He did so willingly, independently, without external coercion.”
Tetyana added that Matlala had signed the SAPS form that gave authorisation for seizure and extraction of the contents of his phone.
“Mr Matlala’s legal representatives have their facts crossed, and they are barking at the wrong tree. This meeting should authorise us to write to them and set the record straight
Meanwhile, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has agreed that the committee can have sight of the classified report of suspended Inspector-General of Intelligence Imtiaz Fazel in a closed session.
The report apparently deals with properties allegedly bought by the Crime Intelligence and security clearance certificates of Major General Nozipho Madondo, among others.