No minister ever appointed by Guptas‚ says Zuma

President Jacob Zuma says no minister or deputy minister was appointed by “the Gupta family or by anyone else” as he is solely responsible for the hiring and firing of ministers.

He was responding to a DA question in Parliament centred around the role of the Gupta family in the removal of then finance minister Nhlanhla Nene in December and subsequent claims by other high ranking ANC officials that they were approached with offers by the family.

Zuma said he appointed ministers and deputy ministers in line with the constitution.

He said in cases where there were changes to his cabinet or redeployments‚ there were always “reasons“.

He said in the case of Nene‚ “the reasons are the reasons of government“.

“The rand was in trouble before Nene left. It was on a downslope‚” he said.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane rose to dispute the claim‚ and after some arguing‚ was ordered to leave the house by speaker Baleka Mbete. The DA caucus left with Maimane‚ leaving most of the opposition benches open as the EFF‚ who had earlier withdrawn their question from the order paper‚ did not attend.

Zuma also told Parliament that anyone who had questions around deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas’ claims that he was approached for the job of Finance minister‚ should speak to him or to the Guptas.

“I appointed Jonas as deputy minister. That is why he is deputy minister. If Jonas says he was offered the position by the Guptas‚ ask the Guptas or ask Jonas‚” he said.

Zuma also made clear that Jonas “never mentioned my name“.