Mentor’s story fiction – Ajay
Gupta patriarch says former MP never came to their house nor was she served lamb curry as claimed
described the house’s steps as “cream marble”, Ajay says they are black granite.
He denies her evidence that there is a “giant pillar” in the home’s reception area “or any pillar at all”.
While Mentor says there were two couches in the reception area, Ajay denies this and says the area is in fact dominated by a grand piano;
Mentor’s evidence that she
● was offered mutton curry during her alleged 2010 meeting with him. “We are of the Hindu religion and maintain a strictly vegetarian diet. It is anathema to suggest that meat of any form let alone in the form of chopped-up sheep would be allowed to enter our home, let alone enter our kitchen and form part of a meal prepared and served in our home,” he states;
Mentor’s evidence before the ● commission that he wears a “pointing finger” ring; and
Mentor’s claims that his
● brothers arrived to pick her up from OR Tambo International Airport, carrying a placard with her name on it and wearing dark glasses.
“In fact, neither my brother, Atul, who was the chairman of our group of companies at the time nor my brother Rajesh have ever undertaken the basic function of fetching people from the airport.”
Ajay does, however, admit that he and his brother Rajesh “attended the events forming part” of Zuma’s state visit to China in 2010.
Mentor has testified that the brothers appeared to be integrally involved in arrangements for that visit, and tried to pick her up from her hotel to take her to see Zuma.
But Ajay says this is untrue, and – using Zuma’s own programme for that trip – has argued that Mentor’s timeline of events makes no sense, and cannot be true.
“We did so, together with other delegates from our group of companies… My team’s business meetings were arranged by the consulting company Cadiz and were not part of the state visit programme.”
Ajay also confirms that Zuma’s son Duduzane attended the state visit “on behalf of his company Mabangela”. But he denies Mentor’s evidence that Duduzane introduced Rajesh, as well as controversial arms deal adviser Fana Hlongwane, to her on a flight to China.
It is the first time his affidavit regarding Mentor and Maseko has been released to the public.
Turning to Maseko, Ajay also denies trying to bully him into channelling government’s R600m advertising budget to Gupta media companies.
Maseko testified that Zuma asked him, during a call, to “help” the Guptas.
Ajay says he did meet Maseko but the purpose of the meeting was “to get clarity on the policies and practices of the GCIS in the awarding of government advertising”.
‘‘ Ajay admits meeting and phoning Maseko