Zuma interfered in my ministerial duties, says Hogan
Former public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan has told the commission of inquiry into state capture that former president Jacob Zuma interfered with her responsibilities during her tenure.
She appeared before the commission on Monday.
Hogan was appointed in 2009 after Zuma was elected president but was removed 18 months later.
Her appointment followed the African National Congress’ (ANC) elective conference in Polokwane, which she says was extremely factional.
“That conference was noted for the emergence of very strong factional tendencies in the ANC. Regrettably, these factional battles in the ANC only served to encourage an entrenched nepotism and patronage from within the ranks of the ANC and the tripartite alliance and this would have very damaging consequences for state-owned enterprises, and by extension for our economy. With regards to my experience on appointments of board members and CEO’s of Transnet and Eskom during my time.”
She told the commission that Zuma and other members of cabinet thwarted her attempts to get approval for board appointments.
Hogan claims one such occasion, was when Maria Ramos left Transnet as group CEO.
Hogan had only been appointed for a month when she met with Zuma to discuss the appointment of a new CEO for the freight agency.
She said the board had already followed the necessary processes when she arrived, and among the candidates for GCEO was current Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan.
Following Gordhan’s withdrawal from the process, the board highly recommended Telkom’s current CEO Sipho Maseko.
“I felt it necessary to inform the president that Transnet did not yet have CEO, that’s a serious thing and I gave him a full background to the whole process. I also said to him the Transnet AGM was coming up and the shareholder (herself at the minister) appoint the group CEO at the meeting and a chairperson of Transnet as the current one had resigned.”
She said to her shock, Zuma went beyond his powers and wouldn’t hear of any other candidate except Siyabonga Gama, despite the fact that he was facing allegations of maladministration.
Hogan said the ANC and the tripartite alliance came out publicly to support Gama for the position.
Zondo asked about the conclusion of that meeting.
She said she refused to follow Zuma’s instructions despite his insistence that Gama be the preferred candidate.
“He just said ‘this is my preferred candidate’.”
Hogan's testimony continues.