Duarte ready to testify, urges others who can to help Zondo commission
ANC deputy SG applauds Nene’s decision to quit
ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte has revealed that she is keen to appear before the ongoing Zondo commission of inquiry to talk about the party’s role in the establishment of the Guptaowned media houses, ANN7 and The New Age newspaper.
“By the time I got into the picture, that was a well established fact. I’m very willing to go and talk about meetings I held with Moegsien Williams, I have no problem with that, I have nothing to hide, not afraid that we did discuss a media that would give the ANC unmitigated space to put its policies forward. I would do that with pleasure,” she said.
Duarte has also encouraged others with relevant information to make themselves available to the inquiry.
She described state capture as “a particular condition and hopefully at some point the country will move from just examining one family but look at what is happening at local level where there are links with people who demand leadership and how this related to their business interests”.
“The ultimate thing is that ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte briefing the media concerning Nene’s resignation, Mboweni’s appointment and her readiness to testify at the state capture inquiry.
when a person has benefitted directly from having made a connection, that is corruption and that is what it is and hopefully in the commission, that is what will be proved.”
Duarte was briefing the media in Cape Town a day after finance minister Nhlanhla Nene resigned following a furore over his lies regarding
meetings with the controversial Gupta family. Nene apologised for the contradictions and later resigned.
Duarte revealed that Nene had not informed the party of his decision to resign nor whether he would remain an MP. “Comrade Nene hasn’t spoken to the ANC at all, so we are not sure of his plans. We only know that he resigned as it was announced yesterday.
“We appreciate the fact that he chose to resign after the furore following his own submission to the inquiry. He is a valued person in the ANC and our country. We believe that he made a decision that sat well with himself.” said Duarte.
She said the ANC welcomes the appointment of Tito Mboweni to replace Nene, describing him as a veteran of the ANC who has vast wealth of experience. She said Mboweni has always been an integral part of the ANC’s economic transformation committees at Luthuli House.
“Primarily, his appointment is to ensure the implementation of the stimulus package that the president talked about. We also all know that the stimulus package differs a little from what the ANC has pronounced over the last 10 years,” she said.
Duarte said they were concerned with the perception that the ANC was on trial and that whatever generates perceptions in the commission should be based on facts.
“We are concerned that it should not be a perspective of a view that is put about an individual that governs how the commission will finally make its own conclusions.
“Anyone with information to assist the commission must make themselves available as a participant.”
‘‘ Anyone with information must participate