Former South African Airways board Chairperson, Dudu Myeni, has denied instigating or suggesting that an inquiry be instituted at Eskom to suspend senior executives at the power utility in 2015. Myeni is giving evidence at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture that’s sitting in Johannesburg.
She says former Eskom board Chairperson Zola Tsotsi is the one who had requested to meet with former President Jacob Zuma and asked her to arrange the meetings.
Myeni has conceded that the meetings to discuss the inquiry and suspension of the executives did take place both in Pretoria and Durban, but has denied Zuma had given instructions that the executives be fired.
Myeni says Tsotsi’s version of events and what was said in those meetings are misleading and inaccurate.
“I had no interest at Eskom and the person who had problems at Eskom was Mr Tsotsi, those problems were highlighted and when he came to me, he never shared to me the problems he had. I took him as a colleague and that a colleague comes to me, he wants an assistance he wants to meet with President Zuma. In fact, Mr Tsotsi had gone with another Indian person to meet a certain lady to ask for the meeting and the lady said ‘no, I’m not interested.”
Evidence from Dudu Myeni at the State Capture Commission:
Myeni abandons right not to answer certain questions
At the start of her testimony on Tuesday afternoon, Myeni requested to testify in isiZulu. She said she wanted her answers to be understood and heard clearly.
Myeni speaking in isiZulu, said she has been attacked and called a criminal.
This followed an apology she issued to the commission earlier for failing to appear on Tuesday morning. She has reiterated that the only crime she committed was being associated with former Zuma’s foundation.
Myeni also has decided abandon her right not to answer certain questions during her testimony.
In her last appearance, Myeni had argued that she could not answer certain questions because her evidence could incriminate her in her other legal battles.
Zondo has welcomed what he described as Myeni’s change of attitude.
