Kodwa: "We are avoiding doing a running commentary on every witness that appears. In many instances, you can find one testimony contradicts another." (Gallo Images)
The ANC will stand by its comrades pending the findings of the commission of inquiry into state capture, adding that it will make submissions before the commission at an ‘appropriate’ time.
During a media briefing on Tuesday at the ANC’s headquarters, acting national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said those implicated in the commission are only “implicated”, explaining that the individuals had yet to share their version of events.
“We are avoiding doing a running commentary on every witness that appears. In many instances, you can find one testimony contradicts another,” Kodwa said.
“The ANC can’t, on the basis of one testimony, rush to make a judgment.”
Kodwa also expressed his support for Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo — who is chairing the inquiry — for comments he made directed at the media over leaked commission documents published over the weekend.
The ANC said the party will wait for the results of the commission before it takes action, the party’s secretary general Ace Magashule said.
Former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi’s testimony, which is ongoing, is expected to implicate 38 individuals, including former South African Airways chair Dudu Myeni.
On Sunday, a Sunday Times report said Environmental Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane would be implicated in the Bosasa scandal by Agrizzi’s testimony. Mokonyane has since criticised the commission for not notifying her about the allegations laid against her in the former Bosasa COO’s testimony.
Regarding the commissions that are currently taking place, including the Public Investment Corporation commission, Minister of Small Business Development Lindiwe Zulu said the commissions may affect the party during its election campaign, but the commissions were needed and wanted by the party.
“We need to enable these processes [the ongoing commissions] to find the weaknesses,” said Zulu. Pending the findings of the commissions, Zulu said the party was looking into how it could improve as national government and how the party could hold itself more accountable.
Reading a statement from the ANC NEC, Magashule said: “The NEC Lekgotla affirmed the commitment made in the 2019 manifesto that we learned the harsh impact of corruption on society and the economy. We have learned hard lessons about vigilance needed to stop lawlessness, greed and selfishness taking root.”
“The commission, by virtue of its mandate, will deal with difficult matters, but this is inevitable if we want to unearth the truth,” Magashule said.