Durban - As the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) prepares to welcome former ANC member of parliament Vyjtie Mentor who has defected from the ruling party, one of her former colleagues could not help but take a swipe at her.
Following news of Mentor crossing the floor and landing into the ACDP stable ANC NEC member Nocawe Mafu tweeted that for Mentor the ACDP was the “Best party to join. She needs all the prayers she can get.”
This follows several discrepancies in Mentor’s testimony before the Zondo Commission, in which she had claimed that one of the Gupta brothers, Ajay, had offered her a ministerial position in the presence of the then president Jacob Zuma at their Saxonwold home.
Mentor is set to be unveiled as a new member of the ACDP on Thursday at a pressing briefing in parliament.
One of Mentor’s colleagues Hlengiwe Mgabadeli recently claimed that she does not recall Mentor confiding in her, as she had told the commission that she had been offered a cabinet position by the Guptas.
Talking about her tweet, Mafu said: “It was just said in jest, there’s nothing much to it. But with all that is still happening at the Zondo Commission and the fact that the testimonies that she brought there are proving not to in full truth. I was just saying it in that jest.”
Former Finance deputy Minister Mcebisi Jonas also recently told the commission that there had been inaccuracies in the testimony he had given to former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.
However, when asked how testimonies that appear to have flaws could impact the work of the commission Mafu said that Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo was, without a doubt, one of the best judges in the country.
“The end product of that process (the commission) will prove that, I am sure. When reaching the conclusion he will reflect on those testimonies that were the best and those that proved to be flawed.
“I’m sure both the commission and the justice system will then decide what to do,” Mafu said.