I rejuvenated the GCIS, says Manyi
Hogan tells how SAA route to India ceased
Former media entrepreneur and government spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi went “freestyle” on the state capture inquiry yesterday, insisting that he be allowed to respond to allegations made against him – and lead his own evidence. The commission’s legal team had asked that Manyi’s evidence be postponed to November 23 but he objected to this, telling deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo that he was not being treated fairly and was “psychologically prepared” to present his evidence. Manyi was at the inquiry after being subpoenaed over a text message he sent to acting government spokesperson Phumla Williams during her testimony, asking her to change the evidence she had given. Manyi said he also wanted to give his version of what happened at the Government Communications and Information System (GCIS) when he was appointed CEO, as Williams had testified that he had collapsed the established government processes and directed funds to the Guptas. Evidence leader advocate Vincent Maleka cautioned Manyi on whether he was willing to “take the risk” to be crossexamined on a range of issues and allegations that had arisen against him. This included his actions to benefit The New Age newspaper, and the circumstances under which the newspaper and TV news channel ANN7 were sold to him. Maleka said they also wanted to question his role in the cabinet inter-ministerial committee dealing with the closure of the Gupta bank accounts as he had attended meetings in this regard with the banks. Manyi, however, objected, saying he did not come to the commission to face an “omnibus” and only wanted to respond to Williams’ allegations.
Manyi said he was unapologetic about making “dramatic changes” at GCIS when he was appointed in February 2011 due to the “rot” in the department. He said he found a “mini-VBS” at GCIS. Manyi claimed that Williams had signed off on a R26m tender when she had no authority to do so and that R64m was paid to a service provider for work not done. Manyi confirmed Williams’ evidence that he collapsed a bid adjudication committee and took over its functioning. He said he did so because Williams and others had served on the committee for 10 years. “These people have no freshness… I thought no, time for a change.”
He said GCIS became a “well-oiled machine” on his watch.
Manyi confirmed he sent Williams a text message during her testimony at the commission but said it was “in good faith”. He said he only wanted to ask her to correct the chronology of her evidence and did not know he was doing anything wrong as he was not a lawyer. Zondo asked Manyi to return to the commission next Friday where he will face questions from Maleka on the evidence he presented as well as other allegations made against him. Manyi said he was ready for any questions but asked that Maleka “stick within the rules”. Earlier in the day, former public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan wrapped up her testimony, telling the inquiry about the fierce lobbying to have SAA drop its busy Mumbai route so that the Indian airline Jet Airways could take over. Hogan testified how Jet Airways chief executive Naresh Goyal tried desperately to meet with her while she was in India on a state visit in 2010. “I was also aware that a lot of the international routes were recording losses but the Mumbai route was the least loss-making route. When I heard that SAA was going to terminate its route to Mumbai‚ I was confused.” Hogan said then SAA chair Cheryl Carolus said the airline would not be dropping the Mumbai route but Jet Airways was still bidding for that to happen. The route was dropped after Hogan was axed from public enterprises portfolio and Malusi Gigaba appointed to replace her. Hogan said she had never held any meetings with the Guptas but had encountered them at two lunches she attended with her partner, late Struggle stalwart Ahmed Kathrada.
She said it came to her attention about six months ago that the Guptas could have paid for her and Kathrada’s trip to India after the Gupta leaks e-mails showed that Ashu Chawla was copied on their travel bookings. She said they were invited by the SA High Commission in India and had assumed it had footed the bill.