I was ambushed - Manyi

Manyi and Themba Maseko, who both at one time served as director-general of GCIS, returned to the commission on Wednesday.

Maseko has told the commission that he was axed from his position at the government’s communication unit due to his refusal to spend money at the Gupta-linked New Age newspaper.

Manyi was subsequently hired as Maseko's successor.

During his testimony on Wednesday, Manyi told the commission that he doesn't understand why he had to take the stand as the decision to transfer him was made by executives.

He said he did not want to waste the commission’s time because felt the matter was human resource issue.

"Not me, I was a subject of these decisions. So what am I coming to do here? And I said I don't want to be coming here and wasting the commission's time and say I don't know. I don't know.

"I'm here saying: ‘I do not think that it's fair. I am not adequately prepared’. Even the commission I don't think they are ready for me. I certainly am not ready".

He claimed he did not know what those topics had to do with state capture.

"I say that in any event, people that were actors in this space were actually ministers. It was a minister that would have suspended me, dismissed me, reinstated me or transferred me. Where do I come in?

"For me, I think it's an ambush. In conclusion chair, I am asking for an adjournment so the commission can give all the information and I can prepare".

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Manyi also said the questions were broad which made it difficult for him to prepare.

However, advocate Kate Hofmeyr argued that Manyi was given ample time to understand what the commission required from him and why.

"There has been no ambush. The interactions with Manyi commence in a letter dated October 16, 2019. Questions focused on his tenure at the Department of Labour, charges he faced, the outcome of that process, whether he was terminated as a consequence, and whether there had been any appeal.

"He sat with the investigators and evidence leaders to go through his response to the questions that would be posed, in order for him to prepare an affidavit to the commission."

The commission's chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, said the commission should continue but allowed Manyi to skip certain questions that he felt needed more preparation.

"I think that it may well be that the summons could have been formulated in a more precise way than it was because it might look quite wide.

"To the extent that you may be asked questions that relate to matters where you need more time to recollect or to look at documents to refresh your memory, that maybe something that can be looked at to make sure there is fairness.

"I don’t want to make a ruling. I would like to see how we can accommodate your concerns and still be able to move forward."

Manyi's testimony will continue on Thursday.