Zuma attempted to persuade Gordhan to agree to Airbus deal – report

In a sworn affidavit, ahead of his testimony at the commission of inquiry into state capture, Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan reportedly details how in December 2015 former president Jacob Zuma called him in an attempt to persuade him, as finance minister at the time, to agree to purchase passenger planes from Airbus at exorbitant costs.

News24 reports that Gordhan said in the statement submitted to the commission that Zuma had sought to persuade him to agree to the deal because the former chairperson of South African Airways (SAA) Dudu Myeni, who is reportedly Zuma’s close ally, wanted the purchase of the planes to go ahead rather than them being leased.

In his affidavit, Gordhan was quoted as saying that during the call with Zuma he explained to the former president that the deal could not be allowed and that it had been clear to him, Gordhan, that Myeni had contacted the former head of state which led to the call.

Former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene had not agreed to the deal. Nene was thereafter axed by Zuma and replaced by Des Van Rooyen who, following public outcry, was removed from the ministry after serving for a few days and was replaced by Gordhan.

Gordhan reportedly then agreed to the Airbus deal which was later modified so the national carrier would lease the passenger planes.

Myeni reportedly wanted the planes to be bought from Airbus, sold, and then leased from a local company.

Meanwhile, it was reported that Gordhan’s affidavit to the commission also details his meeting with the Guptas, as well as other encounters.

According to Gordhan, he met the Guptas at the request of Zuma at some stage during his first term.

He says he refused to meet with them after that, but admits to seeing them at two events and at a business meeting after.

READ MORE: I met with the Guptas, says Gordhan in leaked statement

The EFF has released a strongly worded statement continuing their ongoing battle against the minister, calling him a “master manipulator” who was an “accomplice in the Guptas’ activities”.

The EFF claimed that Tiso Blackstar, the media conglomerate BusinessLive is owned by, are Gordhan’s “propagandists” who are seeking to drive a narrative absolving Gordhan of what they claim is his complicity in state capture.

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)