Durban – Disgraced former Sunday Times political journalist Ranjeni Munusamy appears to have found a new home in the office of the Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni.
The news, which has caused an uproar, came to light when Mboweni boasted on Twitter about his speech-writing team.
In the tweet, Mboweni shared a screenshot of the virtual meeting of his team. The minister was left red-faced when some Twitter users noticed that Munusamy was among the team of seven people in the screenshot (Mboweni excluded).
“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,” reads Mboweni’s tweet.
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
Some Twitter users questioned how Mboweni could employ Munusamy, who, according to testimony by police investigator Colonel Kobus Roelofse at the state capture commission in September last year, unduly benefited from the rampant abuse of the crime intelligence slush fund.
Roelofse was investigating the abuse which allegedly happened under Richard Mdluli’s watch when he got information that around 2008, Munusamy ran into financial difficulties. As a result, money from the fund was used to pay off a vehicle debt of R143 621.78 to WesBank Vehicle Finance.
Munusamy and her lawyers have yet to disprove Roelofse's findings.
One of the people who expressed shock that Mboweni had employed the former journalist was EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu, who wondered what had happened to her case.
“What happened to the people unlawful money she received and couldn’t challenge through a legal process? (sic),” Shivambu tweeted.
Also boggled by the news was former eNCA journalist turned Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, who said: “Ranjeni Munusamy has not been cleared of allegations of corruption. She refused to go to the Zondo Commission to defend herself. Inspite (sic) of this you .@tito_mboweni hired her to write the budget speech. Yeses awunamahloni (you are shameless).”
Munusamy has yet to respond to questions sent to her by Independent Media on Wednesday morning. Also, it was still not clear whether Munusamy was employed in the treasury department or in Mboweni's ministerial office.
Political Bureau