My testimony will end my relationship with Myeni, ‘Mr X’ tells Zondo
'I do not feel that my family and [I] are safe because the truth that I am going to reveal today is not acceptable to the people who are implicated,' Mr X said.
Former SAA chairperson Dudu Myeni is pictured during a press briefing at the airline carriers offices in Kempton Park, 28 October 2016. Picture: Refilwe Modise
An in-camera witness appearing before the commission of inquiry into state capture told the commission on Monday that his evidence will destroy his relationship with former SAA head Dudu Myeni as “it will not favour her”.
“It was not easy for me to give evidence today. What is happening [is that] I do not feel that my family and [I] are safe because the truth that I am going to reveal today is not acceptable to the people who are implicated,” Mr X said.
“The relationship between myself and [Dudu] Myeni will be over following my evidence because my evidence will not favour her,” Mr X added.
Mr X further explained that he was so close to Dudu Myeni, that he considered her a relative.”I knew her for a long time. We knew each other through business [and] working together. We were so close to the point where we were like relatives and we went to each other’s gatherings,” Mr X added.
Mr X is the owner of a construction company which is said to have received three payments in excess of R3m from Premier Attraction 1016 – a company owned by Dudu Myeni’s son, Thalente.
The commission earlier heard that Premier Attraction 1016 made a payment of R1m on October 24, 2015, just over R1m on December 11, 2015 and another R1m on February 2, 2016.
Thalente Myeni told the commission earlier on Monday that he could not recall what the payments were for.
The witness, however, was expected to testify to the commission that the above payments had nothing to do with business.
“The in-camera witness will say that your mother, Ms [Dudu] Myeni, called him after those deposits were made and instructed him what to do with the money. She asked that cash be withdrawn and made available to her, and she asked for other monies to be paid to the Jacob Zuma Foundation,” evidence leader advocate Kate Hofmeyr previously stated.
The commission is currently shining a light on the alleged looting of Mhlathuze Water. Mr X’s company previously did work for the water board.
Mr X’s company received an order for Jojo tanks for Nkandla from Mhlathuze Water. Dudu Myeni was the chair of the water board at the time.
“I supplied the Jojo tanks in Nkandla. If I am not mistaken, this was in 2007. The value of the invoice – R250,515 with VAT,” he explained.
Mr X further told the commission of an instance when a friend paid money from Mhlathuze Water into his company, for work that he had not done. The money was further distributed to other companies that Mr X’s company did not have a relationship with.
“I understood that the money was going to come from Mhlathuze [Water], this friend of mine was an engineer [for] the company. So the water board would pay money into my company for work that never happened, then my company would pay to other companies that it did not have a relationship with,” he explained.
The inquiry continues.
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