Johannesburg - Former Prasa chief executive Lucky Montana has accused Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo of lacking a sense of "fairness and commitment to justice" in his chairing of the State Capture Inquiry.
Montana has written a strongly worded letter to Justice Zondo and has also included Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng in the correspondence.
Montana is unhappy with the evidence presented by witnesses at the commission this week. The commission heard from former Prasa board chairperson Popo Molefe and suspended general manager for legal services Fani Dingiswayo.
The inquiry also heard evidence collected by the commission's investigator Clint Oellermann regarding suspicious property purchases conducted by Montana valued at R36 million in 2014.
Witnesses have testified that Montana ruled with an iron fist and would retaliate against staff members who questioned the legality of tender contracts. Montana was in charge of the state-owned enterprise from 2010 to 2015.
It was this evidence that has led to Montana's unhappiness with the commission's work.
Montana has questioned Justice Zondo's legal standing for remarks he made while Molefe was testifying. Justice Zondo had expressed his shock at the ANC, Parliament and the Hawks' lack of action on Molefe's warnings of corruption at Prasa.
"It finally dawned on me that during Louis Green's testimony that you, deputy chief justice, had lost your sense of fairness and deep commitment to justice. I kept asking myself whether this man would be the next chief justice of South Africa," Montana wrote.
"There are at least a minimum of twenty instances where you made unfounded comments which tells me that you are not committed to hearing the facts or the truth. You have praised persons that are actual culprits which led to the collapse of Prasa," Montana said.
"We respect you deputy chief justice and your office, and as an African elder. However, chairing this vitally important commission does not make you God."
Montana has also denied claims that he did not pay for the properties he had initiated sales on in 2014. The commission heard this week that in 2014 Montana had initiated to purchase various properties in Waterkloof, Sandhurst and Hurlingham. The funds to pay for the properties have been linked to a shell company, Precise Trade and Invest, run by a lawyer Riaan van der Walt. When the properties were purchased, Prasa had signed a multi-million rands tender with Siyangena Technologies – a company linked to Van der Walt.
Montana said his relationship with Van der Walt was above board, and added he was willing to appear at the inquiry in September.