Parliament launch urgent Hawks probe after Jonas testimony

Parliaments Portfolio Committee has called for urgent investigations into the Hawks.

This follows former deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas allegations during his testimony at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture on the conduct of high-ranking officials in the Hawks.

Jonas elaborated to Judge Raymond Zondo that he refused to sign a draft statement presented to him by Major-General Zinhle Mnonopi‚ who said they wanted to “kill the case.”

Jonas told Zondo how the Hawks attempted to sabotage investigations of the Guptas attempt to bribe him, linking the head of the Hawks anti-corruption Mnonopi.

The committee have noted the serious allegations following Jonas’ testimony on Friday and have launched investigations.

In 2016, Jonas released a statement alleging that the Guptas had offered him money to replace Sifiso Nene as finance minister after Nene was fired in a what was a widely controversial decision by ex-president Jacob Zuma in 2015.

“Members of the Gupta family offered me the position of Minister of Finance to replace then-Minister Nene,” he said at the time.

“I rejected this out of hand. The basis of my rejection of their offer is that it makes a mockery of our hard earned democracy, the trust of our people and no one apart from the President of the Republic can appoint ministers.”

Jonas further alleged that he was offered R600 million if he accepted the position and R600 000 paid in cash on the spot.

Earlier in the week, the inquiry saw acting chief procurement officer at National Treasury William Mathebula outlining procurement prescripts that underpin tender procurement at government entities. His testimony was a technical one to give an overall context and not meant to implicate anyone.

Mathebula told commission chairperson Zondo that although his department has an oversight role on government procurement matters through his office, fraud and corruption persists.

The State procures R800 billion in goods and services annually, Mathebula said.