JZ survives but new e-mail leak revealed
AS President Jacob Zuma lived to fight another day and the ANC called for a judicial commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture, more damning e-mails were revealed yesterday.
The latest leak links the man seen as the fall-guy for the Gupta wedding plane landing at Waterkloof military base to the controversial family.
Bruce Koloane later asked the Guptas to sponsor a golf tournament for his 20th wedding anniversary‚ leaked e-mails show.
Now he is South Africa’s ambassador to the Netherlands but was head of state protocol at the Waterkloof military base at the time of the wedding landing controversy.
He was appointed ambassador to the Netherlands in 2014 by Zuma after being demoted to liaison officer subsequent to his disciplinary hearing.
Koloane was found to have breached security by giving clearance for the aircraft to land while carrying the Gupta wedding guests.
He was said to have told Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s political adviser on the day of the illegal landing that he was “under pressure from number one”‚ to secure clearance for landing.
Koloane was found guilty of exerting undue influence on state officials to secure the landing.
Leaked e-mails from the Gupta’s Sahara company reveal that Koloane in January last year wrote to Sahara chief executive Ashu Chawla to sponsor a golf tournament for his 20th wedding anniversary celebrations planned for last December.
Koloane‚ a well-known golf fan‚ said he was planning to host the tournament in his hometown of Pietermaritzburg.
Sahara computers is owned by the controversial Gupta family‚ the details of whose influence over government ministers and state-owned entities was revealed this weekend by the Sunday Times in reports on a tranche of leaked e-mails.
“This year marks 20 years since I married my wife and plan to host a golf tournament in December 2016 in Pietermaritzburg as part of my celebrations. This is besides the party I will have at home with family.
“I am writing to you to request your support in sponsoring some prices [sic] that I could use during the golf tournament.
“Should you be in a position to help‚ an
indication of the type of prices [sic] you might be able to sponsor would help in the planning phase‚” Koloane said in the e-mail.
It is not clear if the company agreed to sponsor it.
Koloane did not respond to e-mail requests for comment. Chawla also did not respond to a request for comment while Gupta lawyer Gert van der Merwe said he would be meeting with the Guptas later to provide a response.
Speaking at a media conference at Luthuli House yesterday‚ ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said the ANC national executive committee (NEC) had agreed that a judicial commission’s terms should be broad enough to uncover the influence of business on the state.
“The NEC expressed its desire to see all processes of reviewing the public protector’s state of capture report accelerated so that they are not an obstacle to the speedy establishment of the judicial commission into state capture.”
On the motion of no confidence against Zuma‚ Mantashe called on ANC members of parliament to continue to conduct themselves in accordance with the constitution and within the prescripts and norms of the ANC.
“Regardless of whether a secret ballot is granted by the court or not‚ ANC MPs‚ as always‚ are expected to vote in line with the decision of the caucus of the ANC,” he said.
Mantashe confirmed a call was made during the NEC meeting for the president to consider stepping down.
“Many were neither in favour nor against the appeal but emphasised the need for unity within the organisation.
“The NEC sought to have a detailed analysis of the consequences of removing the president‚ appreciating that some calls‚ especially those made by the opposition‚ are not so much about removing the president [but] rather dislodging the ANC itself from power.”
Speaker of parliament Baleka Mbete said a commission of inquiry into the “monster” of state capture was “desirable”.
She was briefing the media ahead of parliament’s budget speech today.
“I believe it is desirable to have a commission of inquiry into all areas of state capture broadly‚ so that we can settle our minds and get on with our lives.
“For now‚ there’s nothing‚ but there will be. It means there will be a structure that will probe into whatever you understand by state capture and what effect it has had on South African society over time‚” she said.
“We will all sleep well once we know that we are having some people paying attention to this monster.”
DA leader Mmusi Maimane earlier said the party had written to Mbete to request the establishment of an ad hoc committee to probe allegations of state capture against Zuma in the wake of the release of the Gupta e-mails at the weekend. – Additional reporting by Shenaaz Jamalm and Bianca Capazorio