The PIC Commission of Inquiry should compel Dan Matjila to reveal names

10 July 2019

It is not acceptable for former CEO of the Public Investment Corporation, Dr Dan Matjila, to refuse to reveal the names of politicians who pressured him. He should be compelled by the Mpati Commission to answer these questions and reveal these names, or face contempt charges.

Dr Matjila testified that he faced constant pressure from political leaders (whom he refused to name) from several parties to fund their businesses, or the businesses of their friends and family. He also testified that businessmen with strong connections to the ANC pressured him to contribute PIC funds to the ANC’s January 8th Celebrations, and that ANC politicians (whom he refused to name) asked him to secure money from the PIC’s clients as well.

It is essential that the Commission knows:

1) Who the political leaders were that pressured Dr Matjila over many years, and who the ANC politicians were that pressured him to secure funds from PIC clients,

2) How these funds were distributed without proper oversight or accountability

This information is crucial in the drafting of the Commission’s recommendations. The Commission should recall Dr Matjila and compel him to answer these questions.

This testimony demonstrates how governance at the PIC needs to be bolstered with legislation that improves accountability and transparency, and which firewalls the institution from the kind of capture and corruption that the Mpati Commission is exposing.

Issued by Geordin Hill-Lewis, DA Shadow Minister of Finance, 10 July 2019