SA: Jonas unsure who offered 'bribe'

South African former minister claims he doesn't know which Gupta brother offered him millions and ministry

Former South African deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas has thrown 'State Capture' hearings into confusion by admitting he didn't know who offered him a huge bribe and promotion.

Jonas told Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo's commission of inquiry on Friday he only recognised the man he claimed to have met on 23 October 2015 as one of the three Gupta brothers “from media reports.”

The commission's key witness claimed the mystery man, who did not identify himself, offered him a 600 million Rand (£33 million) bribe and his then-boss, finance minster Nhlanhla Nene's job – if he would help the family group raise its share of government and parastatal enterprise contracts.

“I had not previously met any of the Gupta brothers, but I recognised him... from media reports,” said Jonas in his statement. “At the time, I did not know his name as he did not introduce himself, but simply started talking to me.”

Jonas claimed that after examining press reports about the brothers since then “I am relatively certain that the Gupta brother at the meeting was Ajay Gupta, but I cannot exclude the possibility that it might have been Mr Rajesh Gupta.”

He also claimed that Duduzane Zuma, son of former president Jacob Zuma – who ordered the Zondo commission – drove him to the Gupta's home without telling him where they were going, but then said nothing during the meeting.

Jonas claimed the man he thought was Gupta said: “The old man will do anything we tell him to do” – and assumed “the old man” was a reference to the president.

Zuma resigned in February at the request of the ruling African National Congress national executive committee. That followed years of allegations in the opposition-controlled press that he was in the pocket of the Guptas, who had challenged the existing media and mineral-energy monopolies.

Zuma was replaced by his deputy, billionaire businessman Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa reappointed Nene to the job Zuma fired him from in December 2015 and gave Nene's successor Pravin Gordhan, who Zuma fired along with Jonas last March, the Public Enterprise ministry.

Mr Gordhan is also under fire for 'state capture'. this week his nephew Ketso Gordhan was made CEO of the SA SME Fund. The fund, set up by Ramaphosa two years ago, has yet to lend any of its R1.5 billion (£82 million) capital to small businesses.

In July Ketso Gordhan's ex-wife Roshene Singh moved from her job at the ANC's Luthuli House HQ to become Ramaphosa's chief of staff at the Union Buildings, South Africa's seat of government.

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