Northern Cape Premier Manne Dipico appeared before the South African Human Rights Commission this week and denied tapping the telephones of his employees, although he had been given a copy of a taped conversation of one staffer, writes Ngwako Modjadji.
Dipico had been subpoenaed to appear at the commission, which is investigating whether tapping a telephone is an invasion of a person’s privacy.
He admitted that he had listened to a recording that sounded like a plot to kill him. The telephone conversation had been between the chairperson of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), Tebogo Mogorosi, and a man known as his “handler”.
Mogorosi brought a complaint to the commission against Dipico on the grounds that his dignity and privacy had been violated.
The premier, who is the first provincial leader to be subpoenaed by the comission, said he had not taken the death threat seriously and had handed the original of the tape to the Nehawu leadership.
The tape had been dropped off at a government anti-corruption office and was given to him by the province’s director general.
After giving evidence, Dipico said he had “no hard feelings” towards the commission. The inquiry is continuing.