Parliament has disputed National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams’ claim that problems with his work laptop contributed to delays in responding to the Madlanga Commission.
Adams appeared before the commission on Tuesday but did not proceed with his full testimony after submitting his witness statement only on Monday night.
He told the inquiry that his Parliament-issued laptop had been problematic for about 18 months, frequently freezing or being sent for repairs.
However, Parliament said its ICT Service Desk records contained no evidence supporting that version.
ICT records show routine requests
Parliament said the technical requests logged for Adams mainly involved ordinary account and access issues.
These included password resets, help logging into a device, a Wi-Fi update and an electronic disclosure request.
The institution said there was no recorded incident involving persistent hardware failure, repeated freezing or the laptop regularly being sent for repairs.
Parliament also noted that MPs receive several devices, including laptops, tablets and smartphones, to help ensure continued access when one device develops a problem.
Madlanga rejects laptop excuse
Commission chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga was critical of Adams’ explanation for the late statement.
He described the laptop excuse as “totally unbelievable” and urged the MP to take the commission seriously.
Evidence leader advocate Matthew Chaskalson requested the postponement because Adams’ statement had arrived too late for the legal teams to prepare properly.
His testimony was postponed until 19 August.
Adams expected back before inquiry
Adams is a key witness in the commission’s investigation into alleged criminality, corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system.
He is expected to face questions relating to a complaint that contributed to investigations involving senior Crime Intelligence officials.
Parliament stressed that its statement dealt only with its own ICT records and was not intended to comment on the substance of Adams’ evidence.
The dispute over his laptop explanation now adds another layer of scrutiny ahead of his return to the commission.