Sapa and Sandile Hlangani

Cabinet spokesman Jimmy Manyi has lashed out at Nedbank chairman Reuel Khoza for his "attack" on government.

In a letter published in The Star newspaper on Tuesday, Manyi said comments Khoza had made which accompanied the bank's annual results showed "disingenuousness and that his books aren't exactly balanced".

In the report, released last month, Khoza said the country's "strange breed" of leadership needed to adhere to the institutions that underpinned democracy.

"Our political leadership's moral quotient is degenerating and we are fast losing the checks and balances that are necessary to prevent a recurrence of the past," Khoza wrote.

In response, Manyi wrote: "It would help if Dr Khoza were to expand on his allegations and tell us exactly which checks and balances are being lost 'fast' and which recurrence of the past and which past he fears so much."

Manyi also questioned Khoza's negativity considering the annual results document pack had an overview reflecting a significantly more positive, or at least expectant, disposition among management.

"Given Dr Khoza's putative concern about the state of levels of public accountability, it is only fair to ask to what extent his statement reflects the views of the illustrious and diverse board which now includes eminent champions of transformation...

Less than a week ago ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe criticised Khoza for his comments about a lack of political leadership in South Africa.

Mantashe said that he would be very worried if the business community begins to think that it has a monopoly of understanding political leadership.
 
Khoza, wrote in Nedbank's latest annual report which was released on Friday, saying that South African's “strange breed” of leadership needed to adhere to the institutions that underpinned democracy, adding that the political climate was not a picture of an accountable democracy.