Rob Rose, Financial Services Correspondent
3 November 2003
Johannesburg — Justice deputy director-general Mike Tshishonga's claims of corruption in the liquidation of Retail Apparel Group (RAG) fell to pieces on Friday, as new evidence was presented to the inquiry contradicting his allegations.
This comes as a blow to Tshishonga's efforts to convince the public of the truth of allegations of corruption and nepotism he brought against his boss, Justice Minister Penuell Maduna. Tshishonga accused Maduna of granting "illicit favours" to Rag liquidator Enver Motala and he also alleged that R950000 "changed hands" in the Rag inquiry.
He had relied on a document he claimed was a "forensic report" into the liquidation sector, but the author of that report appeared to contradict Tshishonga.
Adv Stephan du Toit quoted from an affidavit signed by justice department inspector Hendrik Kinghorn, who prepared the report Tshishonga alleged was the basis for his claims of the missing R950000. In the affidavit, Kinghorn said no forensic audit had taken place. He said Tshishonga's document was in fact an extract of an executive summary of investigation work going on in the department. Kinghorn said Tshishonga's allegations were without any factual foundation.
Tshishonga was clearly surprised by the turn of events, and referring to the corruption, he commented. "I said it was alleged not factual".
But the inquiry ground to a close after Tshishonga refused to retract his allegation until he had seen Kinghorn's affidavit firsthand a request Du Toit said would take place "in good time".
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