Mbete about-turn on returning Thuli report
CONFUSION reigned this weekend over the whereabouts of the so-called state capture report.
On Friday, outgoing public protector Thuli Madonsela said she had sent it to National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete for safekeeping after a preservation order was granted by the High Court in Pretoria earlier in the day.
Madonsela said the report had been sent to Mbete because her office reported directly to parliament.
But on Friday night Mbete’s office said she had returned the report to Madonsela’s office, as the law required her to place it on public record by tabling it in the National Assembly and she was not able to do so in this instance.
However, yesterday Mbete backtracked following the intervention of ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu, who said parliamentary communicators got it wrong when they said the speaker had returned the report.
Mthembu said the report was “under lock and key” in parliament as requested by Madonsela, and would only be returned to the public protector’s office when Busisiwe Mkhwebane assumed office tomorrow.
DA chief whip John Steenhuisen said Mbete’s conduct smacked of contempt for the office of the public protector.
“Again Baleka Mbete has opted to wear her hat as ANC chairperson . . . Her dismissive attitude to what is a report of significant public importance demonstrates parliament’s continued disregard for accountability and lack of interest in supporting institutions which ’OTHER HAT’: Baleka Mbete strengthen our democracy.”
In terms of the preservation order no one will have access to the report until the High Court in Pretoria hears an application to interdict it by President Jacob Zuma and Cooperative Governance Minister Des van Rooyen. The matter will be heard on November 1.
Zuma and Van Rooyen argue in court papers that they needed more time to respond to the allegations.
On Friday, lawyers for the public protector told the court Van Rooyen was not mentioned in the preliminary report which Madonsela had signed off on and was ready to be made public.
The ANC head office, Luthuli House, on Friday said in a statement that it “looks forward to the imminent release of the state capture report” pending the court decision on the interdict being sought.
“The public protector’s final report into the matter . . . will assist the ANC and South Africa to gain clarity on the allegations and point to the resolution of the reported challenges,” said ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa.
Kindly explain how your relationship with the Gupta family started.
How would you describe your recent relationship with the Gupta family? Who are you closest to?
How often do you visit the Gupta family at their Saxonwold residence?
Besides visiting Saxonwold to service your friendship with the Gupta family, what are the other reasons why you have visited Saxonwold?
Has a member of the Gupta family ever given you or a member of your family a gift, no matter how trivial? Please provide details.
How would you describe your son Duduzane Zuma’s relationship with the Gupta family?
How did Duduzane start working for Sahara Computers?
Six months after you were elected president of the ANC, your son Duduzane and your daughter Duduzile were elevated to the positions of directors in the company. How and when did you learn about this? Were you surprised at their sudden elevation?
I understand Duduzane resides at Saxonwold. Is this true and, if so, how did he end up living there?
I have received information Ajay Gupta made Duduzane a billionaire. Is this true?
Ms Vytjie Mentor issued statements alleging a member of the Gupta family offered her a cabinet position during meetings at Saxonwold. The meeting with Ms Mentor apparently took place in October 2010. In return for this appointment, a member of the Gupta family wanted her to cancel an SAA route to India. JOB OFFER: Vytjie Mentor What is your response?
Ms Mentor further alleges that you were present at Saxonwold when this offer was made. Is that true?
Ms Mentor said she repeated the offer made to her and you failed to take action and merely said you would not have requested her to come if you were aware she was on crutches.
Ms Mentor further alleges that she had battled to secure the meeting with you for months and that during her discussion with Mr Atul Gupta it became apparent that they knew about the agenda she had with you.
Were you present at the Gupta residence that day?
Mr Mcebisi Jonas, deputy finance minister, issued a statement alleging a member of the Gupta family offered him a cabinet position during a meeting in Saxonwold in October 2015. What is your response to this?
Mr Themba Maseko, former CEO of government communication and information services, also issued a statement alleging that Ajay Gupta sought to influence spending by GCIS in favour of the New Age newspaper. Maseko alleged that he met Ajay Gupta at Saxonwold. What is your response to this?
Mr Maseko alleged you called him and asked him to help the Gupta brothers. What is your response?
Mr Maseko further alleges that his job was threatened if he didn’t accede to their demands. When he asked how they would do this, they informed him that they have regular meetings with the president and that any minister that doesn’t agree to transferring the budget would be “sorted out” by them. What is your response to this?
EFF leader Mr Julius Malema alleged Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula admitted that he was informed he would become sports minister by the Guptas even before it was announced by you. What is your response?
It has been reported in the media that several members of cabinet, high-profile businessmen and others visited Saxonwold. Please tell me whether each of the following people A) visited Saxonwold at the same time as you; B) do you know if they ever visited Saxonwold; C) what was the reason for their visits; D) if applicable, why did they visit Saxonwold with you? 1 Vytjie Mentor, 2 Mcebisi Jonas, 3 Themba Maseko, 4 Fikile Mbalula, 5 Jeff Radebe, 6 Lindiwe Sisulu, 7 Essop Pahad, 8 Aziz Pahad, 9 Rob Davies, 10 Malusi Gigaba, 11 Ben Martens, 12 Tina Joemat-Pettersson, 13 Mosebenzi Zwane, 14 Des van Rooyen, 15 Lynne Brown, 16 Kebby Maphatsoe, 17 Collen Maine, 18 Nkosazana Dlamini- Zuma, 19 Fana Hlongwane, 20 Brian Molefe, 21 Dudu Myeni.
It has been reported that a member of the Gupta family or a company linked to them assisted one of your wives to purchase a house in Waterkloof, Pretoria. Is this true and if so, why did they assist her?
What were the reasons for your removal of Nhlanhla Nene as finance minister on 9 December 2015?
What were the reasons for your appointment of Des van Rooyen as finance minister?
What were the reasons for your abrupt removal of Des van Rooyen as finance minister four days later? Why was he appointed as minister of co-operative governance and traditional affairs and minister Gordhan reinstated as minister of finance?
The second complaint alleges you breached section 2.3 of the Executives Ethics Code by: exposing yourself to any situation involving the risk of a conflict between your official responsibilities and your private interests; using your position or any information entrusted to you, to enrich yourselves or improperly benefit any other person. How do you respond to these allegations?
You were required by section 2 in the Executive Ethics Code to: declare any personal or private financial or business interest that you or a family member may have in a matter in re- lation to which you are required to take a decision as a member of the executive; withdraw from any proceedings of cabinet considering a matter in which you or a family member has any financial or business interest unless you decide you or your family member’s interest is trivial or not relevant.
By virtue of you and your son’s personal and professional relationship with members of the Gupta family, did you ever consider this would create a conflict of interest for you?
Did you ever consider withdrawing from relevant proceedings of cabinet or at very least declaring your son’s personal and professional relationships with members of the Gupta family in order to mitigate a potential conflict of interest?
I have perused your declarations for the period 2009 to 2016. There are no values; why is that?
Can the president confirm the declarations made to the cabinet secretariat are the complete declarations and there are no declarations elsewhere?
In the earlier years, you declared the Waterkloof house used by Mrs Bongekile NgemaZuma as an asset and indicated an amount of R18 000 per month. How do you reconcile this with the instalment in the mortgage bond from the Bank of Baroda of R79 715. 00 monthly instalments. Why did JIC Mining Service — a Gupta-owned company — provide security for the bond?
This declaration no longer appears in recent years, why?
What is your relationship with Roy Moodley, owner of the Beachfront property in Durban? I noticed that he has provided use of the property to you.
Has the Jacob Zuma Foundation ever received any donation from the Gupta family or any Gupta or Duduzane Zuma owned company?
What were your reasons for removing Nhlanhla Nene as minister?