"It is rather surprising that Ms Kohler Barnard suddenly alleges that she no longer knows the National Commissioner’s cellphone number, although she has previously received communication from the same number," spokesperson Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale said in a statement on Tuesday.

The SMS read: "I am black, proud, capable and get it clear you can take nothing from me, eat your heart out. I am not made by you and cannot be undone by you. Riah Phiyega."

Makgale said the SMS was sent by Phiyega and not meant for public distribution by Kohler Barnard. If the DA MP felt threatened by a statement of self-affirmation, that was unfortunate.

Not intended as a threat

"The message was certainly not intended as a threat and it is difficult to see how it could be interpreted as such," he said.

"It is equally unfortunate that Ms Kohler Barnard launched an unprovoked and unbecoming personal attack on the National Commissioner during a television interview on ANN7 last week Thursday."

The SMS caused a stir in Parliament on Tuesday, where Kohler Barnard told Parliament's police portfolio committee she had received the text message from an unknown number last Thursday night, after commenting on police matters on television.

Kohler Barnard alleged that the message had been sent from Phiyega’s cellphone.

“I find it absolutely appalling that a national police commissioner would choose to send me a personal message because I do my job, while she failed to do her job. I sense a threatening tone here,” she said.

ANC MP Leonard Ramatlakane said if the message had come from Phiyega it would send a “certain message to thousands of police officers about us [Parliament].”

Another ANC MP, Livhuwani Mabija, said: “If the message is really from her, where does she get the audacity to do that?”

-News24.com