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Guptas confronted Jonas over his ‘factional relations’ against Zuma

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 Deputy Minister of Finance Mcebisi Jonas.  Picture: Denvor de Wee/Visual Buzz SA
Deputy Minister of Finance Mcebisi Jonas. Picture: Denvor de Wee/Visual Buzz SA

Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas was confronted by one of the Gupta brothers about his factional relations with some members of the ANC’s top six whose agenda is to undermine President Jacob Zuma.

This was referring to ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe and the party’s treasurer Zweli Mkhize.

It was revealed by Jonas during an interview with former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela in the course of her investigation into state capture.

Jonas, according to the report made public yesterday after a court order, had unknowingly visited the Gupta compound in Saxonwold when he was allegedly confronted by Ajay Gupta about intelligence gathered on him and those close to him.

“He apparently indicated that they were well aware of his activities and his connections to [ANC secretary-general Gwede] Mantashe and the treasurer of the ANC, Zweli Mkhize, alleging that he was part of a faction or process towards undermining President Zuma,” said the report.

This happened in the presence of Zuma’s son Duduzane and businessman Fana Hlongwane, who was at the centre of the arms-deal scandal, who had arrived at the Gupta compound to join them for the meeting.

Duduzane had moved the meeting from the “crowded” Hyatt Regency hotel in Rosebank

It was at that meeting that Ajay Gupta allegedly informed Jonas that they were going to make him minister of finance, which he declined.

The report said Jonas was shocked and irritated.

“Ajay Gupta continued to speak. He disclosed names of comrades they were working with and providing protection. He mentioned that collectively as a family, they ‘made a lot of money from the state’ and they wanted to increase the amount from R6 billion to R8 billion and that a bulk of their funds were held in Dubai,” it said.

“At no stage did [Duduzane] Zuma and Hlongwane speak during the meeting. They were told to sit down when I indicated that I was leaving.”

Mantashe was also mentioned earlier on in the report to have “taken interest in the appointment of board members at Transnet”.

Page 90 of the report cites an interview with former minister of public enterprises, Barbara Hogan.

Hogan was interviewed in relation to allegations by former member of Parliament Vytjie Mentor that she had been offered the job of public enterprises minister, a position which had at the time been occupied by Hogan.

“President Jacob Zuma and the secretary-general of the ANC, Mantashe, took interest in the appointment of board members. [Zuma] took interest in the appointment of board members at Eskom and Transnet whereas Mantashe was interested in the appointment of board members at Transnet,” the report said.

The appointment of board members of state owned enterprises fell within Hogan’s responsibilities

Mantashe was one of the people who was subpoenaed by former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela during the investigation.

However the report states that while no one disputed her jurisdiction to investigate, “[ANC Youth League president Collen] Maine and Mantashe questioned the Public Protector’s powers of subpoena to private people and organisations”.

Mantashe later assisted but Maine flatly refused.


Hlengiwe Nhlabathi
Political journalist
City Press
p:+27 11 713 9001
w:www.citypress.co.za  e: Hlengiwe.Nhlabathi@citypress.co.za
      
 
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