PIC commission should compel Matjila to reveal names – DA

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said former Public Investment Corporation (PIC) CEO, Dr Dan Matjila should be compelled by the Mpati Commission, also known as the PIC commission, to reveal the names of politicians he testified had pressured him to fund their businesses.

Matjila testified that he faced constant pressure from political leaders, whom he refused to name,  and 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 – again, whom he refused to name – also asked him to secure money from the PIC’s clients.

The DA’s Geordin Hill said it is not acceptable for Matjila to refuse to reveal the names of the politicians who pressured him.

“He should be compelled by the Mpati Commission to answer these questions and reveal these names, or face contempt charges,” Hill said.

Hill said it is essential that the commission knows who the political leaders were that pressured Matjila over many years, and who the ANC politicians were that pressured him to secure funds from PIC clients.

Furthermore, Hill said it is important the commission knows 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.”

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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