Mining minister digs himself another hole

MINERAL Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane misled the public when he claimed to have been appointed chairman of an inter-ministerial committee to probe the relationship between banks and the Guptas’ Oakbay investments.

It has emerged that the cabinet never resolved to form such a committee, but agreed only to a three-member task team comprising Zwane, Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.

Well-placed government officials told the Sunday Times that neither the cabinet nor President Jacob Zuma had appointed Zwane to chair this team.

Insiders said it was Zwane who DEEP: Mosebenzi Zwane elevated the status of the team to that of an inter-ministerial committee, without the cabinet’s approval.

Zuma’s spokesman, Bongani Ngqulunga, referred the Sunday Times to a cabinet statement about the appointment of the team on April 21.

The statement said the three ministers would be part of a “constructive engagement” to find a lasting solution to the matter between the Guptas and the banks following the closure of business accounts of some of the controversial family’s companies.

In a statement last week, Ngqulunga distanced the cabinet and Zuma from Zwane’s claims about an inquiry into the banks’ conduct and referred to the structure as a “task team”.

The saga has put Zwane on a collision course with Zuma and angered Luthuli House.

The ANC has called on Zuma to censure Zwane.

ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa was reluctant to comment on the latest revelation on Friday.

But he said the party believed that action should be taken against Zwane, especially after the minister ducked questions from MPs this week.

“That is the kind of arrogance which impacts negatively on the ANC and that behaviour cannot be allowed, the president must reprimand him,” said Kodwa.

Zwane and his spokesman, Martin Madlala, had not responded to questions at the time of going to print.

Zwane was defiant in the National Assembly this week when MPs grilled him about the statement he released last week in which he said the cabinet had resolved to ask Zuma to appoint a judicial commission of inquiry into how the banks conducted themselves towards the Guptas.

He told MPs they had no right to ask him questions about confidential cabinet discussions — even though he had issued a public statement on the matter.

On Friday Gordhan revealed that he had met Oakbay CEO Nazeem Howa in May. In response to parliamentary questions from the DA, Gordhan said Howa asked him to intervene on Oakbay’s behalf, but the minister refused and advised the company to go to court.

Gordhan said Howa promised to provide him with letters from the banks giving reasons for closing the accounts, but did not keep his promise.