Jonas says his public comments on Gupta state capture tantamount to written statement

Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas said he made his position on the allegations of state capture by the Gupta family public and so this was effectively a written statement.

“To say that I didn’t make my view public is really not correct‚” he told eNCA’s Justice Malala on his show‚ The Justice Factor.

“I made my position public‚ so in the end it was a written statement.”

This follows the African National Congress’s announcement last week that the probe into state capture by the secretary general’s office had fallen flat after only eight people came forward and only one was prepared to give a written statement.

Former Government Communication and Information System CEO‚ Themba Maseko was apparently the only person who came forward with a written statement about allegations that the Gupta family was interfering in state affairs.

He reportedly confirmed it was him in reply to questions on Twitter.

In March this year‚ Jonas confirmed reports that the Gupta family had offered him the job of finance minister before Nhlanhla Nene was removed.

In a public statement made on TV he said he rejected the offer “out of hand”.

“The basis of my rejection of the offer is that it makes a mockery of our constitution and hard earned democracy.

“No one apart from the president appoints ministers.”

The revelation followed similar allegations made by former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor on Facebook that the Gupta family had offered her the job of public enterprise minister in 2010‚ while President Jacob Zuma was sitting in a room next door.