Yakhe Kwinana and her lawyer Lindelwa Mbanjwa attempted to interject as she was asked tough questions on Monday at the state capture commission by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
A screengrab of former SAA board member Yakhe Kwinana appearing at the state capture inquiry in Johannesburg on 2 November 2020. Picture: SABC/YouTube
JOHANNESBURG – Former South African Airways (SAA) board member Yakhe Kwinana on Monday said she did not know that her board approved a R1 billion five-year contract with an aviation company known as Swissport, but she thought that they were approving the terms and conditions only.
Kwinana and her lawyer Lindelwa Mbanjwa attempted to interject as she was asked tough questions at the state capture commission by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
Among the questions was her relationship with JM Aviation and Swissport director Vuyisile Ndzeku, which she initially said was professional, but later said he would ask her for advice on his other businesses.
Ndzeku received a R28 million payment after the contract was signed, and his company JM Aviation allegedly then paid Kwinana.
“I didn’t think that this is a contract. I thought we were approving only the terms and conditions, not the whole contract,” she said.
Zondo interjected and said: “Miss Kwinana you’re a chartered accountant. You said you approved this contract. Initially, you said you didn’t know about this contract. You’ve shown a resolution [and] you accept that you approved the contract. Now, what are you saying? You’re saying you don’t know the contract’s terms and conditions.”
WATCH: State capture commission proceedings
