JOHANNESBURG — Victor Seanie, a suspended assistant portfolio manager at the PIC, saw something that many a South African would have been able to observe: the PIC’s over-valuation of Ayo Technology Solutions. But upon highlighting this point to his bosses in a more detailed fashion, he found himself being sidelined and pressured into giving the thumbs up to the deal. Amid Seanie’s revelations, one wonders what other smallanyana skeletons are going to start rolling out of the PIC’s gold-crested cupboard as the commission of inquiry continues its work. – Gareth van Zyl
By Janice Kew
(Bloomberg) – South Africa’s Public Investment Corp. moved too quickly when it agreed to invest in a local technology company and the deal is an example of how sound investment advice was often ignored at the continent’s biggest money manager, a suspended employee said.
The institution has a culture of intimidation and coercion and the people who write investment reports often have no control of the valuations and recommendations contained in them, Victor Seanie, who was an assistant portfolio manager at the PIC before he was suspended last week, told a commission of inquiry on Wednesday.
I hope Victor Seanie regains his position at #PIC. The lessons he's learned about integrity and courage are invaluable to that organisation. Salute. Without leaks and media coverage none of this would have come out.
— Sam Sole (@SamSoleZA) January 30, 2019
The inquiry has heard that the deal in question, in which PIC took all of Ayo Technology Solutions Ltd.’s R4.3bn ($316m) private placement of shares in December 2017, was flagged for potentially having flouted processes. This was found in a routine audit of the Pretoria-based fund manager’s listed investments in May. The PIC’s investment valued Ayo at R14.8bn even though its assets were estimated at R292m.
Seanie said then-Chief Executive Officer Daniel Matjila as key to signing off on the deal before the PIC’s portfolio management committee had held its first meeting. That was “highly irregular,” he said. Seanie was suspended last week, along with Head of Listed Investments Fidelis Madavo, after the PIC said there’d been a “blatant flouting of governance and approval processes.” Seanie also named Madavo as one of the main people involved in the deal.
Witness Victor Seanie smashed the wall of official silence at the PIC today. Seanie delivered a damning testimony against his bosses and the #Ayo deal at the PIC Inquiry. Read his statement here -> https://t.co/TkzK8q12em @amaBhungane #IqbalSurvé #VictorSeanie #PICInquiry pic.twitter.com/ka3i2KWVyl
— amaBhungane (@amaBhungane) January 30, 2019
Further, Seanie said Madavo had indicated in December 2017 that he wanted a favourable Ayo investment report. Ayo executives seemed assured of a favourable outcome, Seanie said.
In the past year, half of the PIC’s executive committee have been suspended or resigned. This includes Matjila, who quit in November, and the executive heads of risk, legal, listed investments, information technology and the company secretary. Ayo last week released a press statement welcoming the inquiry. Matjila declined to comment when contacted by Bloomberg News because he’s yet to appear before the commission.
