Mantashe to take Zondo’s report on judicial review

Mineral Resources and Energy minister Gwede Mantashe has announced that he will be taking the report from the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture on judicial review, after he was fingered as one of several ANC members who irregularly benefited from Bosasa largesse.

On Tuesday evening, part three of the report by Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, that was handed to President Cyril Ramaphosa, recommended that Mantashe be probed for corruption after receiving security installations for free from facilities management company Bosasa.

The report reads: “… in the circumstances, there is a reasonable prospect that further investigation will uncover a prima facie case against Mantashe in respect of the offence of corruption.

“There are reasonable grounds for suspecting that Mantashe accepted or agreed to accept gratification.”

Mantashe, however, said that the commission needed to be held accountable where its commits “tactical mistakes”.

“You cannot have a judicial process that makes assumptions. That needs to be reviewed, because it is creating the case out of assumption, not of facts,” said Mantashe.

ALSO READ: Bosasa’s ‘corrupt business model’ takes centre stage in Part 3 of State Capture report

“I’ll take it on review. That’s the decision I’ve taken.

“This commission made a lot of assumptions that are not based on facts or interview. We did take time and went to the Commission, but the Commission doesn’t take decisions in the best interests of evidence given, in fact it discredits evidence.”

He said that he had taken this decision because: “I presented myself to the commission in good faith, trusting that the Commission was a necessary process for the party and country in tackling corruption”.

Mantashe testified on 19 March 2021 in relation to Bosasa and also deposed two affidavits dated 8 March 2019 and 18 June 2019 – both in relation to Bosasa.

The chairperson of the state capture commission found in his latest report that Mantashe, along with others, benefitted from the company in the form of security upgrades at both his Gauteng and Eastern Cape properties.

Mantashe admitted that security upgrades were installed at his properties but disputed that there was anything untoward about the installations, which were arranged between his security advisor and Bosasa director Papa Leshabane.

He also contended that it was not done as a means to solicit favours from him, disputing that he was in any position to influence an office-bearer in such a position.