JOHANNESBURG - ''This past week I have been confronted by allegations against Ms Davids. In the interest of fairness, I asked Ms Davids to respond to these allegations. I was satisfied with her responses but I felt that the continuous allegations against Ms Davids could compromise the legitimacy of my office,'' Brown said.
“My decision is not an expression of guilt on the part of Ms Davids. However, it is important that my office is above reproach. I want to thank Ms Davids for her service and wish her well.''
Details of alleged influence by the Guptas on Davids, Brown's partner and her department's director general Richard Seleke, emerged in an investigative media report on Wednesday. According to the AmaBhungane report done through the probing of thousands of leaked Gupta emails, the three have links to the Guptas, resulting in questionable appointments at state-owned enterprises and Brown's reluctance to deal with "capture" allegations at the state companies.
Davids, alleged to have personally managed appointments at state enterprises at some point, visited Dubai in 2015 and stayed at the five-star Oberoi hotel. The Guptas allegedly paid for the trip.
She has since confirmed her travel to Dubai, but could not explain why the Guptas reportedly picked up the tab.
Davids has had a long work relationship with Brown, dating back to 2010 at the African National Congress (ANC) in the Western Cape.
- African News Agency (ANA)