Justice Zondo considers summoning Manyi for interfering with witness
Acting GCIS head Phumla Williams told the inquiry that during Friday’s tea break Manyi sent her a text message warning her not to implicate him in the controversial 'New Age' breakfast briefings.
JOHANNESBURG - Chairperson of the state capture commission Raymond Zondo is considering summoning Mzwanele Manyi after claims that he's tried to influence a witness.
Acting head of Government Communications and Information System (GCIS) Phumla Williams told the inquiry that during Friday’s tea break Manyi sent her a text message warning her not to implicate him in the controversial New Age breakfast briefings.
Williams earlier told Zondo: “Chairperson, I received a text message from Mr Manyi telling me to say that the TNA [New Age newspaper] breakfast didn’t happen, and it’s my view that he was trying to influence my submission.”
Manyi has since taken to Twitter. He's denied intimidating Williams, saying he merely wanted to clarify that those widely criticised briefings happened after his tenure.
Just so it's clear. Phumla was relating the changes I brought into GCIS. In the same breath she mentions TNA/SABC breakfast which in my view created the impression that I was somehow part of that. So I sent her a text for her to clarify that this happened AFTER my era pic.twitter.com/j1TRvG8q1N
— Mzwanele Manyi (@MzwaneleManyi) August 31, 2018
The legal team's Paul Pretorius says Manyi needs to appear before the commission.
“Consider summoning Mr Manyi to appear before you to explain such conduct as you might possibly find unlawful or inappropriate.”
WATCH: Phumla Williams gives evidence at Zondo Commission
(Edited by Thapelo Lekabe)
