Ramatlhodi: I was removed as minister for not co-operating with the Guptas
Former mineral resources minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi said on Wednesday that he believes he was removed as mineral resources minister after refusing to co-operate with the Guptas. Ramatlhodi was removed from the strategic portfolio in 2015 and replaced with Gupta-linked Mosebenzi Zwane. Ramatlhodi was moved to the position of public service and administration minister at the time. Zwane was accused of travelling to Zurich to assist the Guptas and then-president Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane in negotiations with Glencore, regarding their purchase of Optimum mine. Shortly before his removal from the mineral resources department, Ramatlhodi said he had refused to take away all of Glencore’s mining licences. Glencore’s Optimum mine, which was eventually sold to the Guptas, was supplying coal to Eskom. At the time, then Eskom CEO Brian Molefe had suspended the collection of coal from Optimum. His reasons were that Glencore owed Eskom R2bn and he wanted the money, Ramatlhodi said. Ramatlhodi th...
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