Myeni wants Zondo Inquiry to believe her naming of Mr X was slip of the tongue
Evidence leader Advocate Kate Hofmeyr believes that former SAA board chair Dudu Myeni deliberately endangered the witness and she wants her to be charged.
JOHANNESBURG - Former South African Airways (SAA) board chair Dudu Myeni wants the state capture commission to believe that her naming of witness Mr X was a slip of the tongue.
But her conduct and repeated mentions before and after she was warned not to name him makes it difficult to believe.
• Read more: Myeni reveals Mr X’s identity at state capture commission
Evidence leader Advocate Kate Hofmeyr believes that Myeni deliberately endangered the witness and she wants her to be charged.
Myeni veered off several times during her testimony to say that she was being victimised by the media for being associated with former President Jacob Zuma.
She was answering questions about SAA when she first brought in Mr X, out of the blue.
"He is being covered, he is called Mr X... He says things, he is covered, he is being trusted... Why is he being trusted? He is covered because he fears for his life."
And then came time for her tenure as board chair at Mhlathuze Water, the time that Mr X said that he laundered millions for her and she struck.
• Zondo Inquiry: Charges loom for Myeni for identifying protected state witness
"This is destruction of a family member. Mr X is my family, his children are my children, Mr X is my brother, there is no truth in hiding his identity... Mr X is family to me. Our system continues to deplete the fibre of our society, I am not going to talk to issues, chair, that pertain to what the so-called Mr X said because of the fear that has been presented before you."
Advocate Hofmeyr believes that she did it deliberately and Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo was disappointed.
"What you did is really something that would discourage other witnesses that would want to give evidence before the commission anonymously when they fear for their safety or their lives," Zondo said.
Myeni’s legal team has been given until Monday to make submissions.
