Former Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) head Robert McBride’s appearance before Parliament’s ad hoc committee on Tuesday got off to a turbulent start, with MPs accusing him of showing disrespect during proceedings.
McBride appeared before the committee at the Good Hope Chamber in Cape Town on Tuesday as part of its inquiry into allegations of criminal infiltration and political interference within South Africa’s justice system.
Robert McBride’s suspension, legal battle and exit from Ipid
McBride was appointed executive director of Ipid in March 2014. His leadership, however, became controversial a year later.
In March 2015, then police minister Nathi Nhleko suspended McBride over allegations that he had interfered with an internal report recommending criminal charges against former Hawks head Anwa Dramat and Gauteng Hawks boss Shadrack Sibiya.
The matter related to the alleged unlawful extradition of four Zimbabwean nationals.
Nhleko’s decision was ultimately overturned by the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) in September 2016, reinstating McBride.
McBride remained in office until his contract came to an end in February 2019.
He has since been accused of improper conduct and of allegedly working with private investigator Paul O’Sullivan to target senior police officials, including former acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane.
Law enforcement and intelligence career
Before joining Ipid, McBride served as chief of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) between 2003 and 2008.
He later transitioned into intelligence services, taking up a position as head of the foreign branch of the State Security Agency (SSA) in July 2020.
His stint at the SSA was interrupted in July 2021 when he was suspended without a public explanation.
The suspension followed reports of a failed intelligence operation in Mozambique that left four South African operatives stranded.
McBride’s suspension was reportedly lifted in June 2023.
Dispute over employment status and outdated CV
Tensions began to rise early in the proceedings when McBride told MPs that he could not disclose details of his current employment and acknowledged that the CV he had submitted was outdated.
He said he could not confirm whether he was still employed in the public service and explained that he had not had enough time to update his CV.
Committee members expressed frustration with this explanation.
MK party MP David Skosana insisted that McBride was required to be transparent with the committee.
“It can’t be a secret,” Skosana said.
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McBride responded that he was legally restricted by the National Strategic Intelligence Act from revealing the information.
“If I am given permission to say where I am by my principals, I will say so,” McBride said.
“I think most people here know where I work,” he added.
ANC MP Xola Nqola argued that McBride’s reliance on legislation suggested that his employment details were already publicly accessible.
“I don’t know why should this information be withheld in Parliament because you can even Google it,” Nqola said.
‘Mary De Haas vibes’
Nqola further criticised McBride’s conduct, accusing him of laughing and making inappropriate gestures during the hearing.
“If he wants us to have a very good day today, he must refrain from doing that,” Nqola added.
McBride denied the allegation, but MK party MP Sibonelo Nomvalo argued that his behaviour warranted intervention.
“He must be stopped from the onset. That’s not how we conduct the business of these proceedings,” he said.
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Nomvalo also took issue with the outdated CV submitted to the committee.
“We are misled. We are made to read a wrong document as members of the committee because we read before we come here when we prepare for these interviews. So, it’s an issue that we can’t take lightly.”
While McBride maintained that the document contained no false information, EFF MP Leigh-Ann Mathys suggested that McBride’s approach demonstrated a lack of respect for the committee’s work.
“It’s giving us the same Mary De Haas vibes and we are not going to tolerate that behaviour,” Mathys said.
McBride clarifies role
After the dispute, McBride provided further details about his professional background.
He confirmed that he is employed by the State Security Agency but no longer holds a director-level position.
“I run special projects,” he said.
He also revealed that he worked as a project manager at the Department of Public Service and Administration between 2019 and 2020.
McBride further told the committee that he briefly served as an ANC MP for five months in 1995 before moving into the civil service.
He confirmed that he remains a member of the ANC.
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