Mantashe accuses Zondo commission of using 'assumptions' to taint him

Embattled mineral resources and energy minister Gwede Mantashe will not vacate any of his positions in the ANC and in the government despite the Zondo commission report, which calls for him to be investigated.

The report released on Tuesday night said Mantashe, who is also ANC national chairperson, had a potential prima facie case of corruption to answer to over his dealings with Bosasa.

Mantashe addressed the media on Wednesday after the release of the third part of the report flowing from the inquiry which recommended further investigation into several high-ranking leaders of the ANC who received gratification from the controversial facilities management company.

The Zondo commission heard how Mantashe received free security upgrades at his three properties in Cala and Khowa (Elliot) in the Eastern Cape as well as in Boksburg in Ekurhuleni.

Mantashe contended that the security upgrades had been arranged by his security adviser and Bosasa’s Papa Leshabane, a family friend, and that there was nothing untoward about them.

Zondo said while there was no evidence before the commission that Mantashe had allowed himself to be indirectly influence by Bosasa, there was evidence that he had been seen as a “brilliant connection” by Bosasa as the chief administrative officer of the governing party. Zondo wrote that because of his position in the ANC, Mantashe had influence over who was deployed in the public service.

Mantashe said while the report had not found evidence of corruption against him, he was taking it on a judiciary review over its finding that there was a “reasonable prospect that a further investigation will uncover a prima facie case” against him.

“Basically they have no prima facie case at this point in time and the commission says 'maybe',” he said.

Mantashe lamented that he had openly subjected himself before the commission and gave evidence in relation to the allegations levelled against him but that it had chosen to use “assumptions” to taint and implicate him.

“The report itself says there is no prima facie case. But somebody thinks further investigation may find it. That is what we are dealing with. My argument is that we should take it on review because you can't have a judicial process that makes assumptions,” Mantashe said.

Mantashe has been calling on ANC leaders in recent months not to use the Zondo report “to destroy each other” but to “correct the mistakes”, in what some said was his fear that he would be fingered by the report.

While reiterating his respect for the commission and its work, he expressed clear displeasure with the latest report and intimated that it was tainted by ANC internal battles.

“The commission will have to be careful not to find itself caught in the crossfires of ANC political factions. It must give us judicial results following investigations. It must not discount evidence given to it and then come to a decision that it is suspecting that there will be a different result,” he said.

He said he was, however, willing to subject himself to ANC internal processes to clear his name.

“The ANC has set up a committee to process the report and I will subject myself to it,” he said.