‘Zuptas’ want chance to set record straight

CROSS-EXAMINATION: DUDUZANE IN QUEUE

Lawyers for Duduzane and the Guptas have applied for the right to cross-examine Mcebisi Jonas.

Those implicated in state capture hearings want chance to air their side of the story.

Lawyers for former president Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane, and Ajay and Rajesh Gupta have confirmed that they have formally applied for the right to cross-examine former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.

The move by Duduzane, Ajay, and Rajesh – all implicated in damning state capture allegations – to cross-examine Jonas might, in turn, see them pressured to take the stand at the commission.

Commission chair Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo is yet to make a decision on whether the rules allow implicated individuals to cross-examine witnesses and whether they should also appear in person before the commission.

Instead, Zondo ruled yesterday that lawyers wanting the privilege to cross-examine witnesses must submit heads of arguments today. A hearing for the cross-examination applications has been set between tomorrow and Thursday.

According to a Sunday Times report on Sunday, Ajay is not willing to return to South Africa to testify, but is prepared to give his version via video link from Dubai.

The Hawks have threatened to arrest him upon arrival in South Africa.

Senior counsel Vincent Maleka, for the commission, is pushing for implicated individuals to also be cross-examined and take the stand in person. “The privilege to cross-examine comes with responsibility and they [implicated individuals] should also be cross-examined to test their version of events,” Maleka argued last week.

Meanwhile, Zuma has not formally applied to cross-examine any of the witnesses who implicated him in state capture.

Lawyers for Jonas have also indicated that they want to cross-examine Ajay and Duduzane.

Jonas was allegedly offered a R600 million bribe by Ajay to become finance minister in October 2015, replacing Nhlanhla Nene, after Duduzane facilitated a meeting at the Gupta compound in Saxonwold.

In his testimony to the commission, Jonas said Zuma had knowledge that he was offered a Cabinet position by Ajay, and was equally complicit with the Gupta family.

The commission also heard yesterday that Ajay had filed a formal application to cross-examine former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor and former government spokesperson Themba Maseko. Senior counsel Mike Hellens, acting for Ajay, said his client wanted to set out his “version of events and areas of dispute” regarding being implicated by Mentor and Maseko.

Mentor said she was offered the public enterprises minister position in September 2010 – just before Barbara Hogan was ousted – allegedly by Ajay.

Maseko, who until 2011 was chief executive of Government Communication and Information System, said Ajay pressured him to channel government’s annual R600 million advertising budget to The New Age newspaper and TV station ANN7, formally owned by the Gupta family.

The commission has also received an application for Jonas to be cross-examined by Hawks Major-General Zinhle Mnonopi about his revelation that the police’s crime-busting unit deliberately attempted to sabotage and quash an investigation into Ajay’s R600 million bribe to Jonas.

Former public enterprises minister Lynne Brown has also indicated wanting to cross-examine Jonas.