'I can't lie, or hide it. I won't miss fellow politician in the judiciary' - Manyi says as chief justice Zondo bows out

The state capture commission found Manyi to have been an 'enabler' of state capture when he was head of GCIS, a finding he denies

22 August 2024 - 14:40
By Innocentia Nkadimeng
Jacob Zuma Foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi is happy Zondo is retiring.
Image: Alaister Russell Jacob Zuma Foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi is happy Zondo is retiring.

Controversial Jaco Zuma Foundation spokesperson and former Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) CEO, Mzwanele Manyi, is a happy man as chief justice Raymond Zondo leaves office this month.

Zondo’s report on the commission of inquiry into state capture found Manyi to have been an “enabler” of state capture during his tenure at GCIS — a finding he has denied.

The report detailed how the media company owned by the corruption-accused Gupta brothers, The New Age, received more than R32m worth of tenders from GCIS during Manyi’s tenure.

“I can’t lie or hide it. I will not miss this fellow politician [Zondo] in the judiciary,” Manyi said.

“When Zondo took the chair he was on high moral ground. He had the support of the country and we had high hopes he would bring about justice. However, the wheels came off at the state capture commission; he showed a lack of impartiality.

“Because I was in Zuma’s section, he decided Manyi was an enabler. How do I do that if even the affidavit says if I wanted to, I couldn’t because I did not have the budget? I’m [still] offended by that. He was supposed to be justice-based. Zondo has smeared my name. I won’t forgive him for that.”

Manyi said he was happy Zondo would no longer deliver judgments.  “I'm happy he’s leaving. It’s clear Zondo did not deserve to be in that position, as per the ANC recommendation. Zuma was denied an opportunity to properly answer the questions asked [at the commission]. The commission failed to achieve its objective of getting to the essence of what really happened in [former public protector Thuli] Madonsela’s report on state capture.”

He expressed confidence in incoming chief justice Mandisa May’s leadership in the judiciary, saying she should have been appointed two years ago. “She has no scandals, just like Zondo when he started. Zondo was clean; he messed up when he got to the chair.

“We give Maya the same high moral ground we gave Zondo. We give her the benefit of the doubt [and] support her fully. We hope when she gets onto the chair, all we ask for is positivity, neutrality, impartiality and blind justice. That's all we ask for.

“If justice is not blind, it undermines constitutional democracy. We have judges who are making laws and are supposed to be interpreting the law.”

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