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Former finance minister Trevor Manuel says ANC head of elections Fikile Mbalula had an emotional outburst during one of the party’s national executive committee meetings over an interaction he had with one of the Gupta brothers.
Manuel made the revelation as he gave testimony before the state capture commission in Parktown on Thursday.
He testified that “a tense discussion about the influence of the Guptas” ensued during an ANC national executive committee meeting in August 2011 and this triggered the former minister of sports and recreation’s “emotional outburst”.
Manuel explained that Mabalula was moved to tears at the meeting when he detailed an interaction he had with one of the controversial Gupta brothers.
He told the Zondo commission that Mbalula, “who was among the first ministers to come clean about having had interactions with the Guptas”, complained about “the influence” that the Gupta family now had over the presidency.
Manuel testified that Mbalula apparently told the ANC members that he had been summoned by one of the Gupta brothers in October 2010 and was informed that he would be moved from his position of deputy police minister to sports minister.
The former finance minister added that Mbalula’s “emotional outburst” was in response to what started as a political overview by former ANC and state president Jacob Zuma and an issue emerging from the floor about the Guptas’ influence on Zuma.
The former minister, however, conceded that he may not accurately recall the events of the ANC national executive committee meeting of August 2011 due to a lapse in time.
However, in an open letter read before the commission on Thursday Mbalula himself responded to Manuel and admits to having been told of the imminent appointment by one of the Gupta brothers.
Manuel added that in the exchange of the open letters between himself and Mbalula over the matter, he referred to Mbalula as “weeping” during the meeting, adding that he did not intend to embarrass Mbalula with the use of this word.
Evidence leader at the commission, Advocate Leah Gcabashe, said Ajay Gupta had since claimed it was he who had had the discussion with Mbalula and not Atul, as Manuel stated in his statement before the inquiry.
Gcabashe said Ajay Gupta had since submitted to the commission that he simply wanted to congratulate Mbalula on him becoming “a full minister”.
Manuel argues that “it was immaterial” that the Gupta brothers contest that it was not one but the other who informed Mbalula of his imminent appointment.
“How did they come about the information before it was made public by the president,” said Manuel.
He also said the argument by the Guptas that they told Mbalula what they had read in the media of an imminent appointment “to full minister and not sports minister” did not hold water.
Manuel added that they had summoned Mbalula to their home and congratulated him, which meant they knew beforehand and were confident enough to make the announcement.
Manuel also questioned Mbalula’s relationship with the Guptas, saying the pair had to have had a “prior relationship for the Gupta brother to be comfortable enough to summon him to his home”.
What was being tested by the Zondo commission’s legal team was whether Zuma had outsourced his powers to a third party, the Guptas, who in turn may have had financial gain from having prior knowledge of the president’s looming appointments.
Former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas and ANC MP Vytjie Mentor have also testified that they were also summoned to the Gupta home and offered Cabinet positions.
