Committee writes to speaker to find other ways of locating Myeni, Zuma and Guptas

The portfolio committee on public enterprises – tasked with the inquiry into the mismanagement of state funds in state-owned enterprises – resolved on Tuesday to write to the speaker of the National Assembly to request that legal advice be sought on alternative methods to serve a summons on Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta and Duduzane Zuma.

Last week, the chairperson of the committee, Zukiswa Rantho, said on Radio 702 that the committee was desperate to get the Gupta brothers, former president Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane, and former SAA board chair Dudu Myeni to appear before it so it can complete its work on the inquiry into state capture.

The committee resolved to write to the speaker after it met on Tuesday to discuss steps to be taken against the witnesses who failed to appear before the committee after summonses had been served.

On April 4, the sheriff unsuccessfully attempted to serve the summonses on Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta, and Duduzane Zuma at their respective last known places of residence.

On the same day, the sheriff served the summons on Myeni at her last known place of residence. Myeni failed to appear before the committee.

That was not the first time that Myeni snubbed the committee, as last month she was a no-show at an Eskom inquiry after she told parliament she was too sick to fly to Cape Town.

During the radio interview last week, Rantho said the committee had resolved that Myeni should produce a valid sick note from a doctor, which she has failed to do thus far.

In a statement, the committee said it would also request the speaker to consider taking appropriate action against Myeni in terms of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, 2004.

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