A visibly emotional Pumla Williams, GCIS acting director general told the Commission, chaired by deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, that former minister Faith Muthambi was so hell-bent on stealing from the state that she removed over 70% of her duties and handed them over to someone she could control.
And to make it worse, according to Williams the then President Jacob Zuma knew what was going on but did nothing.
“Muthambi was cheating the state because basically I was being paid because she wanted that procurement unit at all cost. She wanted to steal at all cost,” Williams told the commission.
In retaliation Muthambi says this was fuelled by “hatred” for her by Williams.
“Her emotional self-serving outburst, and entirely inappropriate attempt to refer to ordinary managerial and management processes as similar to torture, and her experiences in detention, is so deliberately emotionally manipulative, that it would have been laughable if her intentions in doing so were not so blatantly malicious and informed by an irrational almost psychotic hatred of me,” said Muthambi.
Muthambi described allegations of torture labelling “a shameful manipulator and liar” against Williams, who are both senior ANC members.
Muthambi who is an MP has been ordered to be removed by her party.
COPE joined the fray and said there was nothing honourable about the ANC’s member of parliament, Muthambi.
“ANC is put on a test, let’s see if they still have morals. For them to pass the test, they must immediately remove Faith Muthambi from Parliament, where she is called an honorable member, there’s nothing honorable about her,” COPE said in a statement.
“The damning evidence by Phumla Williams needs to be taken seriously. Serious actions against her torturer, Faith Muthambi, are needed.”
Pule Mabe ANC’s spin doctor told EWN that the party would not react to the evidence given at the Commission as the party is not on trial.
