Manyi: SA has always been captured
South Africa has always been captured.
This is according to former government communications head Mzwanele Manyi, who returned to the state capture commission of inquiry on Monday after addressing the commission two weeks ago without any legal representation.
"…Then chairperson, a very important point… because we are talking about the [state] capture here, it is my contention that actually, there has never been a time where the state has not been captured… there has never been a time," said Manyi.
"Not only has the state been captured, even the laws have been captured," he added.
Manyi has been implicated by acting government communications head Phumla Williams who, in August, accused him of attempting to influence her testimony at the state capture commission of inquiry.
She also testified about how the government had pumped millions into Gupta-owned media entities during Manyi’s tenure.
Two weeks ago, Manyi said that said he also wanted to give his version of what happened at the GCIS when he headed the state propaganda agency.
Evidence leader advocate Vincent Maleka on Monday asked Manyi if he thought the Guptas were corrupt.
"As you sit here today in the witness box, do you accept that members of the Gupta family and the businesses that they own have been seriously implicated by way of credible evidence led before the chairperson?" Maleka asked.
Manyi, however, failed to answer the question directly.
Commission chair Raymond Zondo had to intervene and instruct Manyi not to deviate from questions asked.
Manyi then responded: "My answer is that I don’t know."