Bongo will co-operate regarding allegations

STATE Security Minister Bongani Bongo continued to face mounting pressure after Parliament backed probes into allegations that he tried to bribe evidence leader in the state capture inquiry, advocate Ntuthuzelo Vanara, to drop the inquiry and walk away.

The portfolio committee on public enterprises said yesterday it was shocked at the allegations against Bongo.

It said Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane and the ethics committee will investigate the matter.

But Bongo said he is still awaiting for the institution to give her the affidavit Vanara gave to Speaker Baleka Mbete.

Spokesperson for the Department of State Security Brian Dube said when the allegations were published this was brought to the attention of the minister.

He said the minister will co-operate with the ethics committee that is investigating the allegations.

“When this thing was reported it was brought to his attention and he said he wants Parliament to share the affidavit with him so that he will go through it,” said Dube.

“As regards the process of Parliament he will await Parliament to approach him,” he said.

Vanara has been questioning witnesses appearing before the public enterprises committee.

Last week Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown and her deputy Ben Martins questioned the style of questioning by Vanara.

This week members of the committee gave their full confidence to Vanara saying he has done a sterling job. They said they viewed the allegations against Bongo as an intimidation against Vanara, MPs and Parliament as an institution.

They said the allegations be referred to the Public Protector and the ethics committee.

Chairperson of the public enterprises committee Lungi MngangaGcabashe said she will see what action will be taken by Parliament.

Meanwhile the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) said the revelations in the inquiry by former Eskom board chairperson Zola Tsotsi has unravelled what has been going on at Eskom.

This includes President Jacob Zuma’s alleged involvement after Tsotsi told the committee the president instructed him to suspend four executives at Eskom.

Outa chairman Wayne Duvenage said the evidence by senior officials at Eskom painted a picture about the capture of the entity.

He said the evidence of Brown left more questions than answers.

“Minister Brown’s lack of understanding and weak responses to serious developments, paints the picture of a person who had little idea of her responsibilities and the actions required of her, which essentially makes her complicit to the transgressions and an unfit candidate for the position she holds within government,” said Duvenage.

Outa accused Zuma of meddling in the affairs of Eskom and other state-owned entities.

Duvenage said what happened at Eskom is exactly what happened at SAA, SABC, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa and Transnet.