SOEs, Cabinet, ANC shenanigans on display at Zondo commission

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Published Mar 20, 2021

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Cape Town - The state capture commission has brought to scrutiny the shenanigans that happened at state-owned entities, the ruling party and within Cabinet.

Former minister of public enterprises Lynne Brown was grilled by the commission on Friday and was followed by Minerals and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe.

Another former chief financial officer at Transnet Anoj Singh was questioned on his role at the freight rail entity where millions were channelled to Gupta-linked entities.

Mantashe told the commission he was not aware that facilities management company Bosasa paid for security upgrades at his home on the East Rand in Gauteng and Cala in the Eastern Cape.

Angelo Agrizzi, the former chief operating officer at Bosasa, and Richard le Roux had a few months ago given evidence at the commission on the installation of security cameras at the properties of the minister.

At the time Mantashe was based in Luthuli House as ANC secretary-general.

Mantashe claimed at the Zondo commission he did not have direct dealings with Bosasa but his head of security was handling the matter.

In her evidence Brown told the Zondo commission Eskom was already in chaos when she was appointed minister of public enterprises.

She denied she interfered in the running of Eskom, but said she was a corruption-buster.

Brown said she had been attacked from her time in Cabinet until after she left government and Parliament.

She did not return to parliament and was not serving in the ANC top structures.

She said she did not do anything wrong at the power utility.

Brown said Eskom was burning cash while trying to keep the lights on by buying diesel.

She said when she came in the debt at Eskom was R180 billion, but now it has shot up to R488bn.

Several witnesses have given evidence at the Zondo commission and implicated senior politicians and former president Jacob Zuma in the running of Eskom.

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, who chairs the commission, said load shedding was still on.

He said this has been going on for some time.

Singh has also denied any wrongdoing in the commission.

Some of the witnesses have implicated him in allegations of corruption.

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