RANJENI MUNUSAMY: It's time our parade of finance ministers told the truth about the Guptas
'Gigaba ought to tell this story – his version of it – at the inquiry rather than rolling the dice on social media'
EXTRACT
Gigaba must tell the country what Zuma wanted him to do at the Treasury and why he did not do it.
His successor, Nhlanhla Nene, is appearing at the commission to explain the circumstances around his firing in December 2015 and how conflict over the nuclear deal hyped the hostility against the national Treasury.
It has now emerged that Nene held a number of meetings with the Guptas when he was deputy finance minister and later while he was minister.
There seems to be a curse on SA’s finance ministers. After Trevor Manuel’s 13-year stint, his successors were plagued by controversy and have been playing musical chairs in the post – one serving for just four days. On Saturday night, Malusi Gigaba, who served as finance minister for a year before being sent back to the home affairs portfolio, decided to answer questions on Twitter about “the narrative that I was ever/am captured by the Guptas”. He also tweeted cryptically: “One day the story of how I came to be appointed finance minister will be told in full.” What Gigaba was raising in his late-night search for redemption is directly related to what the Zondo commission is investigating. His appointment as minister occurred as the state capture project reached its zenith with the firing of Pravin Gordhan and Mcebisi Jonas from the finance ministry. Gigaba ought to tell this story – his version of it – at the inquiry rather than rolling the dice on social media, choosing to selecti...
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