While Shan Ramburuth may have violated the Competition Commission's Internet policy by downloading adult content at work, he may have also been unfairly targeted due to his fractious relationship with economic development minister Ebrahim Patel, reports City Press.
Last month, Ramburuth resigned after reports surfaced that he spent tens of thousands of rands of taxpayers' money downloading adult content.
He supposedly spent an average of R15 000 an hour on a government SIM card, some of it on hardcore pornography.
Sources within the Competition Commission, who spoke to City Press on condition of anonymity, say they feel the probe into Ramburuth was initiated to find some dirt to force him to resign.
According to City Press, some argue the adult content issue was used to tarnish Ramburuth's reputation and force him into a position where he had to resign due to moral outrage.
Reportedly, the fractious relationship between Ramburuth and Ebrahim is well-known and first emerged when the two clashed over how to handle the Walmart-Massmart merger in 2011.
Patel appointed Thembinkosi Bonakele as acting competition commissioner following a forensic investigation and report, compiled by consultants Paul O'Sullivan and Associates, into Ramburuth's abuse of government Internet data.
City Press quotes sources as saying Bonakele had been eyeing Ramburuth's position for some time and was using certain circumstances and events at the commission to get the commissioner removed. Other sources say they did not believe Ebrahim and Bonakele conspired to get rid of Ramburuth, reports the newspaper.
City Press does not specify whether Ramburuth was approached for comment.
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