By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Defence and Military Veterans Deputy Minister Thabang Makwetla has rejected the state capture commission’s findings against him over alleged potential corruption.
The third volume of the State Capture Commission of Inquiry report recommended that Makwetla be investigated for possible corruption for the security upgrades courtesy of Bosasa when he was deputy minister of correctional services.
Commission chairperson Chief Justice Raymond Zondo found that Makwetla breached his constitutional, legislative and ethical duties.
Makwetla said he was innocent and that the commission got it all wrong.
“I am here to call for an immediate investigation, which the report says it must be done…investigate and charge me.
“But I can tell you now, there is nothing they are going to find. They can’t charge me over nothing…I give them the right to investigate me until I die, they won’t find anything because this is a red herring.”
He said the evidence before the commission was not considered at all and key investigation questions regarding him were never answered.
“I am aggrieved that for a whole period of five years, this mandate of the commission could not be served by the commission members. My view is that, if they believe that something untoward happened as a result of the late Bosasa’s late CEO Gavin Watson having approached me as a deputy minister, on the matter I am referring to, they should have instituted an inquiry into that.”
Bosasa installed security infrastructure at Makwetla’s home. However, he explained that this was done without his permission and he insisted on paying for the services despite Watson telling him that the work was “pro bono”.
Makwetla also described the commission’s report statement that the upgrades would constitute conflict of interest as malicious.