Gigaba dismisses ‘fake’ statement calling Zondo commission a joke

Home Affairs and its minister, Malusi Gigaba, have distanced themselves from a media release calling the Zondo commission a joke.

In the release dated October 1, Gigaba appeared to say he does not understand why only weak witnesses are invited to testify while key witnesses such as Essop Pahad, who introduced the Gupta family to South Africans when he was deputy minister of home affairs, were not summoned.

Witnesses such as Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor, ANC national chair and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, and ANC elections head Fikile Mbalula are the ones who, according to the media release, would provide explosive intel.

The statement said it was Pandor who approved the Guptas’ naturalisation and diplomatic passports, Mantashe who facilitated all meetings at Luthuli House about the closing of Gupta bank accounts, and Mbalula who cried in the ANC’s national executive committee meeting when allegations surfaced that he was appointed as minister of sports by the Gupta family.

The fake statement alleges that the witnesses mentioned can help the commission to do its work better, unless “the motive therefore is for the legal team to enrich themselves at the expense of the commission and achieve nothing.”

The statement has been branded fake news by Home Affairs.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.