Zondo commission violated my rights – Khoabane

Journalist Pinky Khoabane has accused the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture of violating her constitutional right to a fair hearing.

Khoabane has requested to cross-examine former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi after he named her as one of the journalists who was paid to write positive stories on the company.

The @StateCaptureCom violated my constitutional right to a fair hearing. Here's my full letter to the enquiry. I hear the Commission played the full recording of Agrizzi's racist rant & his "alliances he built four years ago". https://t.co/nxLFPnTmEd

— Pinky Khoabane (@pinkykhoabane) January 30, 2019

She has submitted a letter to the commission stating she was never informed by the commission prior to the testimony that she would be implicated in Agrizzi’s testimony. Agrizzi, last Friday, testified that money was paid to journalists and mentioned Khoabane’s full name alongside two other journalists identified only as “Bongs” and “Ntuli”.

In her letter, she states the accusations were defamatory, untrue, and damaging to her reputation. “My view is that his mentioning of my name is revenge for me publishing the audio tape where he uses racist language including the k-word against his former African colleagues and [discusses] his relationship with certain journalists.

“The commission has breached my constitutional right to procedural fairness.”

She has demanded an opportunity to cross-examine Agrizzi on the allegations that she was among a group of journalists who pocketed money to glorify Bosasa.

READ MORE: Journalist Pinky Khoabane goes on offensive after being named by Agrizzi

“I did not know the Watsons or [have] anything to do with Bosasa prior to the audio which was circulated, including to media and at least one Sunday paper dealt with it on their front page.

“I contacted the spokesperson of the company in my capacity as a journalist in October 2018 to establish the authenticity of the audio. That is the first and only contact I have had with anyone at Bosasa. I have never met Angelo Agrizzi and have never spoken to him prior to the audio tape.”

Khoabane is seeking legal advice.

Agrizzy’s explosive testimony ended on Tuesday. Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has mentioned Agrizzi would return and appear before the commission, if requested to do so at a later stage.

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