Mantashe, Myeni unhappy at Zondo commission inspections
An investigator at the commission of inquiry into state capture has confirmed he found security upgrades installed by Bosasa at two of the homes belonging to Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe.
Patrick Mlambo told the commission on Tuesday that he conducted inspections based on evidence given by former Bosasa employee Richard le Roux, who testified that he was responsible for installing upgrades at the homes of several high-ranking officials.
Mlambo inspected two houses named by Le Roux, one at Cala and the other at Elliot in the Eastern Cape.
Mlambo: "What appears there are the LED lights and the camera.”
Advocate Refiloe Molefe: “And is this one of the cameras Mr. Le Roux indicated would be found here?”
Mlambo: “Absolutely.:
He found several cameras, including one in a bedroom.
Mlambo told the commission at the first house in Elliot he found a woman, who was a caretaker and allowed him inspect the house. However, in Cala he entered through a small gate as nobody seemed to be home.
After taking pictures and videos at the Cala house he received two calls, one from Mantashe and another from his wife.
"Mr. Mantashe extended his unhappiness at my going to his premises without notifying me. What both he and Mrs. Mantashe said was that they now had to fire the woman who was responsible for the Elliot property because she allowed me to go in."
Mlambo also told the commission that he traveled with Le Roux to Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal to inspect the house of former South African Airways board chairperson Dudu Myeni.
He said Myeni was also not happy about the inspection.
"I introduced myself to her and we spoke quite well until I indicated I was an investigator with the state capture commission then she went on like a house on fire. She accused me of being unprofessional by calling her in the evening. I then apologised for calling her at night."
Mlambo says Myeni told him she would not allow someone take pictures of her property and indicated that he had to send an email to request permission.
He sent the email and in her response, he said Myeni asked questions unrelated to his investigation.
"I did not respond to her questions as they were very intrusive and had nothing to do with the visit to her home."