I am confident I have done nothing wrong, Mondli Gungubele assures SA

Deputy finance minister Mondli Gungubele, who has been named in an anonymous e-mail as complicit in corruption at the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), says he has done nothing wrong and is sure his name will be cleared.

Gungubele is also the chair of the PIC, which manages more than R2-trillion in government pension and other funds.

Gungubele was named alongside PIC board member Sibusisiwe Zulu in an e-mail by a purported whistle-blower under the name of James Noko. Gungubele stands accused by Noko of protecting Zulu and of lobbying finance minister Tito Mboweni, who appoints the PIC board, to have her appointed as the deputy chair of the PIC.

The board of the PIC resolved at a meeting on Tuesday that it would commission a forensic inquiry to investigate the claims about Zulu and Gungubele.

Zulu is accused by Noko as having benefited and advanced the interests an individual who has secured funding for several BEE deals that the PIC has funded. She is also an acting judge and the niece of co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Zweli Mkhize.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Gungubele said: “I have noted the decision by my fellow board members to investigate the allegations against me contained in an e-mail circulated this week by a ‘whistle-blower’. I welcome the opportunity to clear this matter once and for all. However, I am confident that I have done nothing wrong.”

This is not the first time that anonymous e-mails have been circulated to board members and staff at the PIC. Previously, e-mails purporting to be from a James Nogu were sent, containing allegations about Dan Matjila.

The allegations against Matjila were investigated by advocate Geoff Budlender and found to have been false in several regards. However, the allegation that Matjila had called in a favour with a businessperson whom the PIC had previously funded, was found to be true.

Matjila has since resigned from the PIC.

patonc@businesslive.co.za