Fuzile refused to be ‘bullied’ by Van Rooyen
FORMER National Treasury director-general Lungisa Fuzile yesterday told the commission of inquiry into state capture that he refused to be bullied and humiliated by four-day finance minister Des van Rooyen.
Fuzile told the commission headed by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo that after refusing to meet his predecessor Nhlanhla Nene for a handover meeting, on his second day in office, Van Rooyen demanded that Fuzile produce a handover report in three days.
He said he told Van Rooyen that the request was unreasonable and reminded him that he had suggested he meet Nene for a handover report.
According to Fuzile, this would have given Van Rooyen an opportunity to meet Nene and for them to both address National Treasury staff.
Fuzile said if he had allowed himself to be bullied and humiliated, he wondered how his subordinates would be treated but “I am not suggesting I was stronger than them”.
After an outcry over the appointment of an “unknown backbencher” and the depreciation of the rand, former president Jacob Zuma was forced to backtrack on the appointment.
On Sunday, December 13, 2015, four days after Van Rooyen was made finance minister he was replaced by Pravin Gordhan and became co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister, a position previously held by Gordhan.
Asked by Vincent Maleka, a member of the commission’s legal team, if what was initially an instruction to put together a handover report ended up being a damp squib.
Fuzile responded: “I wouldn’t disagree with that.”
The Standard Bank South Africa chief executive also described to the commission how Van Rooyen appeared not to be sufficiently familiar with the two advisers he brought to the National Treasury after his appointment by Zuma on December 10, 2015.
Fuzile told the commission that at a meeting with National Treasury executives Van Rooyen appeared unable to recall his special adviser Mahomed Bobat’s name and the role he would occupy in his office.
According to Fuzile, Van Rooyen twice referred to Gupta ally Bobat as his chief of staff but he (Bobat) corrected his boss and said he would be the new minister’s special adviser.
At the meeting with Treasury bosses, Van Rooyen also brought ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte’s son-in-law Ian Whitley to be his chief of staff.
Fuzile said he believed Bobat had been “given” to Van Rooyen by the Guptas.
He also revealed that he rejected Van Rooyen’s demand that one of the three men he brought to an earlier meeting in his office was “just going to be around”.
Fuzile’s successor Dondo Mogajane is expected to testify today.