Malusi Gigaba’s estranged wife on her Zondo bombshells
Norma Mngoma, wife of former finance minister Malusi Gigaba, is trying to rebuild her life after testifying against her husband at the state capture commission
SOUTH Africans have grown used to gobsmacking details coming out of the Zondo Commission into state capture – but one woman’s testimony really had jaws hanging on the floor. Norma Mngoma, dressed to the nines, hair perfect, long nails gleaming, earrings in place, dropped bombshell after bombshell. Over the course of six gruelling hours, she told in shocking detail how her husband Malusi Gigaba, who’s been a finance minister and home affairs minister, was wooed by the Gupta brothers with expensive cars, gold jewellery and bags of money.
Once her testimony was done last month, Norma – who now goes by her maiden name – went away for a few days to get over the stress of it all. But she’s back now and she’s ready to spill a few more beans.
After everything that’s happened, you’d expect her to avoid her husband like the plague.
But Norma and Malusi are still living under the same roof – and while things are tense, they’re doing it for the kids. “Our house is big enough so we can stay together without stepping on anyone’s toes,” she says.
But it’s fair to say the couple have done a fair amount of stepping on each other’s toes over the past few months.
All hell broke loose in July last year when Norma was arrested by the Hawks after allegedly damaging a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon Malusi had been driving. The case against her was withdrawn last month after the high court in Pretoria declared Malusi had abused his powers by involving the Hawks in their domestic dispute.
Norma says she was “blindsided” by Malusi when she was forced to spend a night behind bars after the car incident. She knew things were well and truly over a few months later when she read about the breakdown of their marriage in a Sunday tabloid – a report she claims was leaked by Malusi. Before he could fire the next shot, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
In a televised interview, Norma spoke
‘OUR HOUSE IS BIG ENOUGH SO WE CAN STAY TOGETHER WITHOUT STEPPING ON ANYONE’S TOES’
about Malusi’s alleged ties with the Guptas.
But that was nothing compared to the bombshells she dropped at the Zondo Commission.
Malusi was a regular visitor to the Guptas, who courted him with expensive cars, gold jewellery and bags of money, she told the commission. When Malusi proposed to her, the Guptas gave him wads of cash to pay for their extravagant R5-million wedding, held at the Durban Botanic Gardens.
The Guptas couldn’t attend the wedding, so they forked out thousands more for an all-expenses-paid trip to Dubai, where the newlyweds stayed in the five-star Waldorf Astoria.
When their son was born, the Guptas gave him a gold necklace, which Malusi kept. Malusi also regularly dished out between R50 000 and R100 000 in cash to pay for her many expenses and overseas trips, which she’d post on Instagram.
He also, she said, packed stacks of cash in their home safe, telling her it was money from the Guptas meant to fund elections for the ANC.
She knew she risked making enemies by testifying but she wanted to stand up for herself. “I told them what I know because I’m not the target of the Zondo Commission,” Norma tells YOU.
“I didn’t want to be caught off guard again – I testified to protect myself.”
FOR months Norma fretted about appearing at the commission. A few days before she was scheduled to testify, she booked into a hotel in Camps Bay, Cape Town, to clear her head. The mom of two says she felt overwhelmed by the media attention. Malusi’s alleged links to the Guptas made headline news and the nasty
She was arrested last July for scratching a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon Malusi had been driving but her arrest was later declared unlawful. comments directed to her on social media took a toll. Though she didn’t receive death threats, as was widely reported, she was warned not to testify.
“But I’m not the type who scares easily,” Norma says.
She doesn’t want to talk about the messages, but she will say it wasn’t easy to testify against the man she once loved. “I told myself to stand firm,” she says. “I had to remember I’m the only person who knows some of these things.”
Norma frequently accompanied her husband to the Guptas’ Saxonwold compound but neither of them had particularly enjoyed their visits, she says.
“I didn’t like going there because we weren’t allowed to have our phones, but I wanted to support Malusi. He didn’t enjoy going there because there were certain things he had to do, so it was just unnecessary pressure.”
Tensions were also increasing in their marriage. Malusi was embroiled in several cheating scandals and things came to a head when a leaked sex tape of him went viral on social media.
Norma, his wife of seven years, was humiliated but chose to support her husband publicly as he’s the father of her children. In private, however, she says she started becoming distant. “I knew I didn’t want to be part of this.”
SHARING the same space while going through a breakup is tough enough without having their dirty laundry aired in public but Norma says she and Malusi want to make “the transition” easy on their young kids.
They may both be in their Pretoria home but they live as separately as possible. “He has his own side of the house and I have mine,” she says.
Malusi, who’s repeatedly denied doing anything illegal, hasn’t said a word to her since she started talking about his relationship with the Guptas. “He’ll come around eventually – he’s just like that.”
He also didn’t say anything when she was recently honoured at the 2021 Women of Magnitude Awards for the women’s empowerment work she’s done through an NGO she founded. It doesn’t surprise her, she says.
“Malusi hasn’t said anything because he’s not that type of person – he wants you to be in his shadow.
“But I won’t lie – he did try his best to take care of us as a family.”
She goes for counselling occasionally and finds strength in her faith, family and friends.
“I’m okay with every decision I’ve taken. People think I’m depressed but I’m free because it was the right thing to do,” she says.
Norma wants nothing more than to put the past behind her. She plans to go back to school to obtain a fashion degree she started years ago and wants to find a home of her own.
Judging by her social media feed, she can still afford designer bags and shoes, but this time she’s footing her own bills. “I love making my own money,” Norma says.
“I can use it how I want. I can have many jobs without anyone questioning me and telling me I can’t work with so and so or anyone from a certain party.”
Her marriage might have ended in tears but she won’t let it stop her from finding love.
She’s not sure she’ll walk down the aisle again but she’s determined to open herself up to love.
“This time around, I’ll ask where the money comes from,” Norma says.