The Zondo commission heard damning evidence from former Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) group chief executive Lucky Montana who claimed it was “a way of life” for the ANC to use public funds to fund its political activities and for ANC leaders to advance their agendas.
Montana told the commission this week that the ANC had a culture of requesting funding from SOEs through connections.
“I was disappointed when I listened to what the ANC told you in this commission.
“Our president was here.
“And I thought that the leadership of the country would reflect honestly on what had happened over the past,” he said.
Montana said even he would attend meetings at the ANC’s headquarters in Luthuli House once a month and was often asked to assist with the party’s finances.
He alleged the ANC would give him a list of suppliers that the party owed and tell him “we think you must assist us in this way”.
He spoke of how the party “created conditions for corruption”.
Montana was responding to allegations that the ANC received R80 million from Swifambo Rails – a company that was awarded an R3.5 billion tender for the procurement of locomotives.
Montana said the ANC did not want to admit it, but the party had a huge influence on state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
Matshela Koko
On Tuesday, the Zondo commission heard Eskom-related evidence from former Eskom group chief executive Matshela Koko.
Koko appeared before the state capture commission for the sixth time.
He denied claims that he was the lead negotiator in the awarding of the infamous R1.6bn McKinsey contract.
He also complained about the Zondo commission’s investigators and legal team and claimed other witnesses had been treated better.
Koko accused the commission’s legal team and investigators of following up swiftly on the evidence against him while his evidence had been sidelined.
He also called on the commission to take action against those who have lied about him.
“It cannot be that witnesses come here to mislead you and get away with murder.
“I come here to assist you to get to the truth,” Koko told Zondo.
Mike Mabuyakhulu
The KwaZulu-Natal ANC’s financial administration came under the spotlight on Wednesday when former provincial treasurer Mike Mabuyakhulu gave testimony before the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture.
Mabuyakhulu, who has heeded the party’s step-aside policy by leaving his position as deputy provincial chairperson as he is facing pending criminal charges, appeared before the commission after testimony by forensic auditor Trevor White regarding an R1 million donation that had allegedly been paid by an Uruguayan businessman, through former Ithala Bank boss Sipho Shabalala, to the ANC, allegedly in exchange for a water-purification provincial tender.
Mabuyakhulu admitted that he received the payment from Shabalala, in cash, at the ANC’s provincial offices on June 11, 2008, with the funds used to prepare for the ANC’s provincial conference which sat from June 20-22 that year.
Mabuyakhulu said he had received the donation on behalf of the ANC in his capacity as the party’s provincial treasurer at the time.
He also disputed White’s evidence that another payment of R1m by Savoi’s Intaka Holdings to 14 various companies was linked to the donation to the ANC by Shabalala in June 2008.
Kevin Wakeford
Evidence-leader advocate Viwe Notshe told the commission there were delays in the finalization of the affidavits related to the chief executive of Armaments Corporation of South Africa (Armscor), Kevin Wakeford's evidence and postponed his evidence to the next day.
Wakeford was due to give evidence at the Zondo Commission related to Bosasa on Wednesday.
Advocate Notshe requested for Wakeford’s evidence to be postponed for Thursday.
He said Wakeford only received two more affidavits related to his evidence on Wednesday morning.
On Thursday told the commission of inquiry into state capture that while plenty of allegations have been made against him by former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi and Frans Vorster, there is no evidence to back up their claims.
Agrizzi previously told the commission that Wakeford allegedly received R100 000 a month for helping Bosasa “resolve its Sars issues”.
Wakeford stated that in both instances, the witnesses have made false, malicious, scant, vague and unsubstantiated allegations.
He said these had been deliberately crafted and given to deceive the commission.
“I unequivocally deny these allegations made by these witnesses seeking to implicate me in corruption and fraud in relation to Bosasa and the Department of Home Affairs, Sars (the SA Revenue Service), or any other organ of State,” said Wakeford.
Political Bureau