- The EFF has demanded that Finance Minister Tito Mboweni reverse the appointment of former journalist Ranjeni Munusamy at National Treasury.
- The EFF was reacting to a statement by National Treasury that Munusamy was appointed as a community outreach officer.
- Last year, the Zondo commission heard from two law enforcement officers that Munusamy had allegedly received funds from a secret slush fund belonging to Crime Intelligence.
The EFF has labelled Finance Minister Tito Mboweni's appointment of former journalist Ranjeni Munusamy to his team as irresponsible, reckless, dangerous and irrational.
The EFF was reacting to a statement by National Treasury that Munusamy was appointed as a community outreach officer.
The ministry said it was the prerogative of Mboweni to appoint his team, as per the prescripts of the ministerial handbook.
Last year, the judicial commission of inquiry into state capture heard testimony from two law enforcement officers that Munusamy had allegedly received funds from a secret slush fund belonging to crime intelligence.
The core MTBPS speech drafting Team meeting today, October 20, 2020. to work on how to frame the speech.This is how it works: based on the Cabinet budget fiscal framework,different teams in the National Treasury write chapters in the big document,the core team drafts the speech. pic.twitter.com/u92RuYXeNq
— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) October 20, 2020
Senior Hawks investigator Colonel Kobus Roelofse alleged that Munusamy had accepted payment from Crime Intelligence. He said he discovered that in 2008, an amount of R143 621.78 went toward Munusamy's vehicle finance account.
Crime Intelligence officer, Colonel Dhanajaya Gangulu Naidoo, claimed Munusamy was a confidant of former Crime Intelligence head General Mulangi Mphego, and that a R40 000 repair bill for "Ranjeni's car was covered by Crime Intelligence's secret services account".
Munusamy, who denied the allegations, said she would defend herself. After she indicated she would cross-examine the witnesses, she later withdrew.
The EFF said it would give Mboweni seven days to reverse her appointment, failing which the party would approach the relevant authorities and institutions.
It said it was not only "irresponsible, but it is also reckless, dangerous and outrightly irrational" for Mboweni to appoint Munusamy to such an important post.
"It is outrightly irrational because a political secretary of the minister of finance has a very influential voice in the country's fiscal and economic policies and further has an influence on the guidance of the entities under National Treasury.
"The EFF is aware that there are so many discredited individuals in the National Treasury, but the appointment of Munusamy is taking it too far. We demand that the minister of finance must immediately discontinue any contractual and employment relationship with Munusamy," the EFF said.
Did you know you can comment on this article? Subscribe to News24 and add your voice to the conversation.