Zuma to get preview of nuke-deal questions

In an attempt to avoid the debacle that ensued at former president Jacob Zuma’s last appearance, the Zondo commission on state capture has agreed to his demands to see questions in advance of his next appearance.

The questions will centre on his support for a R1-trillion nuclear deal with Russia that experts say would have bankrupted the country and which allegedly led to him firing two finance ministers, who resisted pressure to sign up to it.

Overall, the commission has sent him 11 pages with 80 questions that will guide his next appearance.

Prior to his July appearance, the inquiry refused to do the same on the grounds that he had access to witness statements, which would have given him sufficient information on the issues to be raised.

When he did eventually arrive at the commission, Zuma became hostile to evidence leader Paul Pretorius, saying that he did not know about many of the issues that were being raised with him. He also used the opportunity to claim that his political and legal difficulties

were the result of a foreign intelligence plot against him.

It now appears that an agreement was reached with Zuma’s lawyers as the inquiry sought to mitigate the risk of this debacle recurring when he returns.

The inquiry submitted the outline of its “areas of interest” to him in July, but as yet Zuma has not responded.

The chair of the commission, deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo, directed Zuma to provide his response by Friday. But it is understood the former president’s lawyers have indicated to the commission that he will only be able to do so by October 20, five days after he appears in court to face corruption charges.

Zuma’s lawyer Daniel Mantsha did not respond to requests for comment.

Key among the list of questions the commission wants Zuma to deal with in his affidavit are: his involvement in a proposed nuclear deal with Russia and his firing of former finance ministers Nhlanhla Nene and Pravin Gordhan. The dismissal of the two sent the rand into free fall. The political climate at the time contributed to SA losing its investment-grade rating from two of the three major ratings companies, raising borrowing costs across the economy.

Treasury director-general Dondo Mogajane told the commission in 2018 that Nene’s removal as finance minister in 2015 may have cost the country 148,000 jobs, while the JSE suffered a R378bn reduction in its market capitalisation.

The commission also wants Zuma to explain his relationship with Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson, alleged to have been at the centre of industrial-scale bribery of government and ANC leaders.

Watson died in a car crash in August, before appearing at an SA Revenue Service tax inquiry.

Zuma is also set to be quizzed about his relationship with the Gupta family, to whom he allegedly ceded his state powers, even allowing them to make cabinet appointments, leading to an investigation by former public protector Thuli Madonsela that led to the establishment of the Zondo inquiry.

The commission did not respond to questions on the date of Zuma’s return to the stand.

Based on the testimony given by Nene and Gordhan to the commission, evidence leaders want Zuma to provide insight into the costs, procurement process, financial and economic implications and risks of the nuclear build programme.

It is also seeking answers on his decision to fire Gordhan, reportedly on the basis of a fake intelligence report.