‘Zuma will do what we tell him’
Shock testimony from Jonas tells of Guptas’ ‘control of SA’
Former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas said he had been deeply shocked‚ angered and dispirited by his interaction with the Gupta family‚ who had wanted him on their payroll.
Jonas was appearing before Judge Raymond Zondo at the state capture inquiry in Johannesburg on Friday.
Referring to a meeting with one of the Gupta brothers, he said: “He said you must understand that we are in control of everything. The National Prosecuting Authority‚ the Hawks‚ the National Intelligence Agency‚ and the old man will do anything that we tell him to do‚” Jonas testified on Friday.
Jonas appeared at the inquiry to render a full account of the meeting he had with the Gupta brother‚ Zuma’s son Duduzane and controversial businessman Fana Hlongwane in October 2015. He said that it was at this meeting that he was offered the job of finance minister‚ along with a R600m pay-out.
Jonas also told the commission that Nhlanhla Nene was fired as finance minister by Zuma because he refused to sign off on the nuclear deal.
Jonas revealed that he chose not to report this alleged corruption to the Hawks because he believed the unit was “seriously compromised”.
He testified that the Gupta brother had threatened to destroy his political career if he ever breathed a word of their alleged meeting.
Jonas said the Guptas had informed him that Nene was to be fired and outlined how they had attempted to recruit him to act as their man in the Treasury.
Jonas said he had informed Nene that he was to be fired when they met on a balcony of the Treasury building in Pretoria.
They had met on the balcony because they believed the department had been bugged by rogue security operatives.
“He suggested he should resign because he was going to be fired in any event‚” Jonas told the commission.
“I told him we should remain in our positions and ‘fight on’‚ if only to hold the line for the finance department. He agreed with my proposal.”
Jonas said on the day Nene was fired – December 9 2015 – he had once more opposed signing off on a deal to build a fleet of nuclear reactors.
At the time it was speculated that the nuclear build could cost as much as R1trillion.
“The pressure on us from former president Zuma and other members of the cabinet to approve the nuclear deal was immense‚ and was ultimately the trigger for Mr Nene’s dismissal on 9 December 2015‚ after he again refused to back the deal at a cabinet meeting that day,” the former finance minister said.
Jonas told of how he found out about Nene’s dismissal. “Mr Nene sent me a text message in which he said that the ‘axe has fallen’.”
Jonas said that Zuma had then told him that he had appointed Des van Rooyen to replace Nene. “I asked him how he thought Mr Van Rooyen would be capable of performing the job and cope with the financial markets. President Zuma said that I was there to help him.”
Van Rooyen was removed as finance minister after three days following pressure on Zuma from top ANC and business leaders.
Ajay Gupta denied in court papers that he was present at the meeting with Jonas‚ and claimed he had cellphone and other evidence to prove that he was not at Saxonwold at the time.
Jonas’s apparent uncertainty over the identity of the Gupta brother he allegedly spoke to may prove to be significant in the criminal prosecution of the Gupta family over the alleged bribe.