Posts for April 2021
1 April 2019
The 2009 Special Investigating Unit report on facilities management company Bosasa was compromised by a court interdict in the early stages of the probe in 2007 that prohibited investigators from interviewing material witnesses.
SIU’s Bosasa investigation hamstrung from start
9 April 2021
Former minister of state security David Mahlobo has denied allegations before the state capture commission that he interfered in operational matters of the State Security Agency (SSA) during his tenure, in some instances instructing management to release millions of rands to him without following due process.
Zondo commission – Mahlobo denies interference in SSA operations
14 April 2021
Former State Security Agency (SSA) director-general Arthur Fraser must first exhaust discussions with the agency over the de-classification of documents that he claims will be useful to the state capture commission, its chairperson Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo said on Wednesday.
Zondo orders Fraser back to SSA for release of documents
14 April 2021
The cadre deployment policy of the ANC came under scrutiny at the state capture commission on Wednesday, with Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe asserting that it is more about advancing the development agenda of the state with competent people, than placing individuals loyal to the party.
Nothing wrong with cadre deployment, says Mantashe
14 April 2021
Under no circumstances could the ANC in Parliament ever vote with opposition to unseat a president of the party, because the damage such a move would cause would be irreparable. This is how Gwede Mantashe defended the events of 2016 when members of Parliament voted in a motion of no confidence against former president Jacob Zuma brought forward by the DA.
Mantashe: ANC MPs know not to vote with opposition
16 April 2021
Former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana began his testimony before the state capture commission on Friday by daring private law firm Werksmans Attorneys to “bring out its big guns” to crossexamine him, as he was prepared to expose its undue influence in Prasa’s case against him. Montana said the firm enjoyed favour with the Prasa board that was led by Popo Molefe, which approved payments amounting to millions to investigate him for corruption that has to date not been proven.
Montana attacks Werksmans, Zondo on first day of testimony
16 April 2021
The board of Prasa was captured by the ANC in August 2014, when three of its incoming members, Popo Molefe, Zodwa Manase and Willem Steenkamp, were planted by the party to serve its interests. This after the Gupta family had made a similar attempt but failed, thanks to CEO Lucky Montana.
Montana: Prasa was destroyed by greedy ANC politicians
16 April 2021
It was a case of Lucky Montana versus the judiciary at the state capture commission on Friday afternoon when the former Prasa CEO accused both a South Gauteng High Court judge and a full bench of the Supreme Court of Appeals of irregularities in the infamous Swifambo contract court battle.
– probe the judgments in Swifambo matter, Montana urges Zondo
19 April 2021
The chairperson of the state capture commission, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, says neither he nor his staff will be intimidated into not doing their work as planned. This follows a robbery at the offices of the commission in Parktown on Saturday evening.
We won’t be intimidated, says Zondo of robbery
19 April 2021
National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise has told the state capture commission that she is open to a mechanism within Parliament that is dedicated to holding the office of the president accountable, but the difficulty will come from how such is constituted. She appeared on Monday as part of the parliamentary oversight stream of evidence.
– Zondo hears that Parliament is open to change
20 April 2021
Former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana says because the agency was never captured by the Guptas during his term, his detractors and those allegedly fighting corruption will use any means available to find wrong in any other decision he made as CEO.
Detractors looking for scapegoat over Prasa collapse, says Montana
22 April 2021
“It’s like you’re Mr Cash.” Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, the state capture commission’s chairperson, made this proposition to former Transnet and Eskom CFO Anoj Singh on Thursday. This was after Zondo had summarised several incidents in Singh’s evidence that showed his preference to use cash to either pay for services, or to be paid.
Singh’s taste for cash deals questioned by Zondo
22 April 2021
Former public enterprises minister Lynne Brown appeared on Thursday to remember little about the appointment process of a new Denel board in 2015, a year after assuming office. It was mainly the nomination and appointment of the chairperson of that board – attorney Daniel Mantsha – that came under scrutiny in an evening session of the state capture commission.
Brown’s foggy memory over “Gupta” board choice for Denel
26 April 2021
The state capture commission has heard how a former driver of Siyabonga Gama was coached to implicate him in corruption. In return, the driver got his job back at Transnet, having resigned under a cloud while facing a disciplinary process.
“Coached” driver’s evidence fictitious, says Gama
26 April 2021
The stuff that movies are made of. This is the only way to characterise the testimony of Nomachule ‘Noma’ Gigaba, the estranged wife of former cabinet minister Malusi Gigaba, at the state capture commission on Monday evening.
Guptas funded Gigabas’ lavish lifestyle, says Noma
28 April 2021
Former mineral resources minister Mosebenzi Zwane tried hard to shake his alleged ties to the Gupta family, even denying that he meddled in the sale of Optimum Coal Mine by Glencore to Gupta-owned Tegeta Exploration and Resources in December 2015. Zwane appeared before the state capture commission on Tuesday.
28 April 2021
The cadre deployment policy of the ANC has once again taken the spotlight at the state capture commission. President Cyril Ramaphosa is in the witness seat to answer questions on a number of issues that have arisen during the course of the commission’s hearings. He appears in his capacity as president of the party.
Ramaphosa, wearing “ANC hat”, appears before Zondo
28 April 2021
South Africa should view the Political Party Funding Act – which came into effect this month – as a saviour against political corruption on the one hand, but also apportioning the value of transparency in the funding of political parties on the other. This was the parting shot of President Cyril Ramaphosa at the end of his first day of testimony before the state capture commission on Wednesday.
Open cards on party funding from now on, says Ramaphosa
29 April 2021
The ANC in Parliament did not cop out of investigating allegations of state capture by the Gupta family in 2016, but saw it fit at the time to let law enforcement agencies lead the probe, says President Cyril Ramaphosa. He acknowledges, however, that in hindsight, a Parliament-led process could have also been adopted, as the two investigations would have been mutually exclusive.
Ramaphosa probed on Parly ANC’s poor stance on capture
29 April 2021
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s second day of testimony before the state capture commission started by dissecting established patronage, and concessions over ANC funding from dodgy benefactors. From Bosasa to the Guptas to the Free State asbestos contract, Advocate Paul Pretorius raised the topic of ANC funding by companies allegedly doing dubious business with the state. Pretorius took over from colleague Alec Freund’s parliamentary oversight evidence.
Ramaphosa: commission tightens screws over dodgy ANC funders
30 April 2021
Is South Africa ready for a conversation about an overhaul of its electoral system? This question came up on day two of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s appearance before the state capture commission on Thursday, and based on his response, the ANC would not support a move away from the current proportional representative system.
Ramaphosa: no need to change electoral system
30 April 2021
Brian Molefe has again blasted the state capture commission for its selective approach to evidence, focusing only on the interests of the Gupta family when there are many other private businesses that have escaped scrutiny. He returned to give testimony on Thursday evening over his term as Transnet GCEO, after the afternoon session with President Cyril Ramaphosa was concluded.
Commission’s narrow focus unfortunate, says Molefe
30 April 2021
The state capture commission will have to quiz former Transnet group treasurer Phetolo Ramosebudi to get answers on how the parastatal ended up paying Trillian Capital for work done by competitor Regiments Capital. The work related to negotiating the R12-billion club loan acquired in 2015 to help fund Transnet’s 1 064 locomotives project.
