Nene tells Ramaphosa: relieve me of my duties
• South Africans and political parties rejected finance minister’s apology for Gupta meetings
Finance minister Nhlanhla Nene has asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to relieve him of his duties following public pressure over his testimony at the commission of inquiry into state capture at which he admitted to meetings with the Guptas.
The request came after South Africans as well as political parties rejected his apology for previously undisclosed meetings with the Guptas at Saxonwold and their business premises in Midrand from 2010 to 2014, when he served as deputy minister and minister of finance respectively.
Business Day understands that Nene approached Ramaphosa at the weekend with the request. Now it is up to the president to decide Nene’s future.
The Zondo commission is investigating allegations of widespread corruption and abuse of power during Jacob Zuma’s presidency. Zuma, his son Duduzane and the Gupta family are at the centre of statecapture allegations.
On Friday, the Mail & Guardian and amaBhungane reported that Nene’s son Siyabonga had asked the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) to fund part of a deal to buy a stake in a refinery in Mozambique, further adding to Nene’s woes.
The finance minister, who has denied any impropriety, told the Zondo commission that he had never acted inappropriately with any PIC investments.
ANC officials are meeting on Monday and it is likely that Ramaphosa will table Nene’s request to be relieved of his duties at the meeting.
Government sources said Nene approached Ramaphosa after the negative public reaction to his apology to South Africans on Friday for the meetings with the Gupta family when he served under Zuma.
Nene was expected to deliver the mid-term budget policy statement in parliament on
October 24. This will be crucial in detailing Ramaphosa’s stimulus plan for the economy, as well as government’s bailout plans for a number of struggling stateowned enterprises.
On Sunday, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, said: “The president has … noted the ongoing proceedings of the Zondo commission, including the testimony of the finance minister.
“He believes the commission is fulfilling its mandate, which was to establish the nature and extent of state capture.
“He is also [of the] view that no person should be above scrutiny. Whilst having said that, the president also believes that the commission should be allowed to complete its work and present findings that will guide further action.’
Zuma fired Nene in December 2015 as finance minister and Ramaphosa reinstated him in February. At the time, specul ation was rife that Nene was fired because he had refused to sign off on the nuclear deal, which was expected to benefit the Guptas’ Shiva Uranium mine.
Nene told the commission that he had twice refused to sign off a nuclear deal with Russia because it would have had severe financial implications for the country.
During his testimony last week, Nene admitted to meeting the Gupta family in the presence of Zuma’s son, Duduzane, at their house in Saxonwold, Johannesburg.
He had previously denied meeting the family outside of public gatherings in an interview with eNCA shortly after his axing by Zuma.
In his letter of apology to South Africans on Friday, he said he was wrong to meet the Guptas at their residence and not in his office or at least in public.
“I say this being mindful of the fact that it is quite common practice, not only in South Africa but globally, for public officebearers to attend gatherings, including dinners, at residences of business people, fellow politicians and other stakeholders.
“But context matters. As soon as I became aware of the controversy swirling around the family’s business dealings, I should, subject to there being a legitimate reason for doing so, have met Guptas, at my office accompanied, as is customary, by a ministry of finance or National Treasury official,” Nene said.