JOHANNESBURG – South Africans across political divides have objected to Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) deputy president Floyd Shivambu description of Treasury official Ismail Momoniat as un-African.

Shivambu objected to the presence of the Treasury deputy director-general in a committee meeting, saying this undermined African leadership.

LISTEN: What Floyd Shivambu said to Ismail Momoniat

Momoniat’s contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle has been highlighted as proof that Shivambu was way off the mark.

Momoniat may have joined the National Treasury at the dawn of democracy in 1994, but his service to South Africa began at the end of the 1970s.

He played a key role in starting the Transvaal Indian Congress and the United Democratic Front (UDF).

He was detained intermittently throughout the 1980s.

READ: ANC hits out at ‘blatant racist’ Shivambu
 

Momoniat worked alongside former finance minister Trevor Manuel and was instrumental in the formulation of the Public Finance Management Act, which was passed in 1999.

This document holds the heads of departments, public entities and the government to account for their use of public funds.

Momoniat now serves as a deputy director-general at the Treasury and is in charge of tax and financial-sector policy.

He holds two Master’s degrees in science – one each in mathematics and economics. 

Parliament’s finance committee chairman, Yunus Carrim, says he will resign if he’s wrong about reprimanding Shivambu for his comments about Momoniat.

But Shivambu is pointing a finger at Carrim.

The red beret claims Carrim stated that IMomoniat was not allowed to speak based on his race.

Carrim is sticking to his guns though. 

eNCA