Gupta wanted share of R600m budget

Driven by desperation for a slice of the R600 million campaigns spend which state departments allocate to the Government Communications and Information Systems (GCIS) to buy media space, Ajay Gupta wanted a meeting with then GCIS boss Themba Maseko.

Testifying before the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, Maseko said Gupta knew about the R600 million 2010-11 budget that went into procuring goods and services for government departments and called him, requesting a face-to-face meeting.

“During each financial year, government departments identified campaigns to be launched nationally and would approach the GCIS for assistance on creative aspects,” said Maseko.

“Ajay called to say he needed government support for his new business project and requested a meeting.”

In her testimony before deputy chief Justice Raymond Zondo, Vytjie Mentor said Gupta offered her a minister’s post while she was chair of the portfolio committee on public enterprises.

“Ajay said if I facilitated the abolition of the Johannesburg-Mumbai flight route, I could become minister for public enterprises.”