JOHANNESBURG – The state capture commission of inquiry is expected to hear an application by former South African Revenue Service (Sars) commissioner Tom Moyane for leave to cross-examine Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan.
Gordhan, who has had a tense relationship with Moyane, is reportedly fighting Moyane’s bid.
According to Business Day, the minister believes that Moyane is being used by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to advance the party’s political campaign against him.
Meanwhile, the inquiry has heard how millions of rand was looted from state-owned enterprises, such as Transnet, to Gupta linked businessman Salim Essa, even though he didn’t do any work for the SOEs.
This was revealed by Standard Bank’s head of compliance Ian Sinton who took the stand on Tuesday.
Last year, an AmaBhungane investigation revealed that from 2014, Regiments Capital was earning more than R400 million a year in consultancy fees from Transnet, with Gupta linked businessmen Essa claiming between 30% and 50% of that amount.
The commission’s Advocate Vincent Maleka thought Sinton would have an answer: “I was told that he was the person responsible for procuring the work at Transnet. What he did to get the work procured, I don’t know.”
It became clear to Maleka that Essa was getting paid for securing the contracts from Transnet.
The commission believes this kind of scheme proves how money was laundered through state-owned entities.
The commission is expected to resume on Wednesday morning in Parktown with testimony from former business rescue practitioner of Optimum coal mine Piers Marsden.
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