Johannesburg – The African Transformation Movement (ATM) says it is alarmed by the audio recordings confirming earlier reports that the late former ANC MP Tina Joemat-Pettersson, ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina, and chairperson of the Section 194 inquiry Richard Dyantyi were key figures in the alleged bribery scandal to make the impeachment inquiry against Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane “go away”.
This comes after Mkhwebane released the recordings to the media at a briefing on Tuesday.
Mkhwebane said the recordings were evidence that Joemat-Pettersson had agreed to a R600 000 bribe to halt the ongoing inquiry against her.
The former minister died last week, on June 5.
Since then, there has been speculation as to the extent of Majodina and Dyantyi’s involvement, as Joemat-Pettersson was the central figure allegedly facilitating a R200 000 bribe each for the other two members.
On Tuesday, following Mkhwebane’s media briefing, both Majodina and Dyantyi denied being party to the bribery scandal, with Dyantyi saying: “I do not respond to hearsay.”
Majodina said that from the outset, she indicated that she knew nothing about these bribery claims.
“Look, I said from the outset that I knew nothing about these wild allegations made by whoever. Mentioning my name by whoever does not confirm that I know about these allegations… No further comment, I’m still awaiting concrete evidence that links me to this,” Majodina told The Star.
In a statement released on Tuesday, ATM leader Vuyo Zungula said it was clear that both Majodina and Dyantyi were also involved, as the recordings implicated them.
“The late Tina Joemat Pettersson mentions in the recordings that the chair of the Section 194 committee will prevent the public protector from giving oral evidence in an attempt to censor her in her own inquiry.
“And indeed, that was the case; just as the late Joemat-Pettersson had said, the chair of the Section 194 committee indeed prevented advocate Mkhwebane from delivering her oral evidence. This then strengthens the credibility of the late Joemat-Pettersson,” Zungula said.
The ATM has called for Dyantyi to recuse himself as well as for the inquiry to be suspended until proper investigations are completed.
“Upon hearing the evidence as shared by the public protector and the above-mentioned points, the ATM is calling for the suspension of the Section 194 inquiry looking into her fitness to hold office, until these allegations of corruption and extortion are properly dealt with,” he said.
“The suspension of the inquiry should be accompanied by a full investigation by Parliament to get to the bottom of these serious allegations against senior members of Parliament,” Zungula said.
The Star