But Zondo questioned why Van Rooyen solely relied on Bobat’s word about his qualifications and did not conduct a background check to determine the businessman’s integrity. “What were you going to lose by waiting a few days, just to check these things?”
“Ideally, chair, I would definitely have taken that route,” Van Rooyen answered. “And I didn’t take that route because I felt a lot of pressure, especially with how the financial markets reacted [to Nene’s dismissal]. So I had to think quickly … I never had reservations about his [Bobat’s] integrity. And I still don’t.”and that there were allegations of malfeasance at the Gupta-linked financial services company.
Earlier, Van Rooyen blamed white-owned media for his tarnished public image. In a statement to the commission, the former minister accused the media of colluding with white capital to sully the names of anyone associated with Zuma. “It is interesting, chairperson, but not surprising to note that at the centre of this court of public opinion is a political narrative that is driven by a biased, white-owned media, controlled by white capital,” he said.
“This is the same white capital, if you are to remember, that acquired its control over the economic resources of our country through the cruel exploitation of the blood and sweat of black people under the evil system of apartheid.”All our essential coronavirus coverage is free for all readers. To see more, visit our hubThese are unprecedented times, and the role of media to tell and record the story of South Africa as it develops is more important than ever.
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