JOHANNESBURG, SOUTHA AFRICA – NOVEMBER 27: Afro Worldview former owner Mzwanele Manyi during his cross-examination at Raymond Zondo’s commission of inquiry into state capture on November 27, 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa. While cross-examined by evidence leader Vincent Maleka, Manyi complained of biasness and unfair treatment and requested Maleka to recuse himself. (Photo by Gallo Images / Netwerk24 / Felix Dlangamandla)
State Capture Inquiry: Mzwanele Manyi accuses Zondo of ambush
A displeased Manyi faced a barrage of tough questions at the Zondo commission.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTHA AFRICA – NOVEMBER 27: Afro Worldview former owner Mzwanele Manyi during his cross-examination at Raymond Zondo’s commission of inquiry into state capture on November 27, 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa. While cross-examined by evidence leader Vincent Maleka, Manyi complained of biasness and unfair treatment and requested Maleka to recuse himself. (Photo by Gallo Images / Netwerk24 / Felix Dlangamandla)
Mzwanele Manyi went on full assault mode and attacked the State Capture Inquiry when he returned to the hot seat, on Wednesday.
State Capture Inquiry latest: Mzwanele Manyi accuses Zondo of ambush
Right after Themba Maseko, former head of GCIS, vacated the hot seat, at the State Capture Inquiry, Mzwanele Manyi returned for further questioning after lunch.
Things, however, got off to a fiery start. For one, Mzwanele Manyi did not understand why it was necessary for him to return for further probing, particularly on the issue about his 2010 removal from the Department of Labour.
He maintained that it was an HR issue that may have been blown out of proportion by being brought under scrutiny at the State Capture Inquiry.
“I feel like I am here for an ambush. This is how I feel. I don’t want to look stupid,” Manyi said, crying that most of the documents he was asked to review shortly before he was due to appear before the commission needed further scrutiny.
Alas, he agreed to stay on for questioning.
Mzwanele Manyi denied any untoward behaviour he may have exhibited during a meeting he had back in 2010 with the Norwegian ambassador to South Africa.
Back then, Tor Christian-Hilda had sent a diplomatic letter to the Department of Labour, shortly after a meeting with Mzwanele Manyi, noting, with concern, how the former deputy general was acting unethically and attempting to broker deals for private investors with the Norwegian government.
At the time, Manyi had brushed off his attempts to conduct BEE presentations for the embassy at no cost, as something he thought was his “national duty to conduct the presentations to inform them.”
At the State Capture Inquiry, nine years later, he still held the same attitude.
“There was no shenanigan that was involved. There is no substance to this. It is somebody whose English is not even up to scratch,” he charged.
Zondo commission abandons grilling for Thursday, 7 November
The fiery encounter between Manyi and evidence leader, Advocate Kate Hofmeyer was halted after Manyi complained about having to respond to a question related to a letter that he had allegedly signed, without having an opportunity to read its contents.
DCJ Raymond Zondo concurred with the witness and allowed him a day to look through the evidence, meaning that the State Capture Inquiry will resume, on Thursday, at 10:00 with Manyi’s return to elaborate further on his transgressions with the former Public Protector, the nature of his departure at the Department of Labour, and his intentions to sell BEE protocols to the Norwegian government.
