Did Deputy Minister of Finance meet the Guptas for top spot?

10 March 2016 

The Deputy Minister of Finance, Mcebisi Jonas, must make a public statement clarifying whether he did in fact meet with the Gupta family to discuss the top post at the National Treasury. 

The Financial Times reportedly claims that the Deputy Minister met members of the Gupta family and discussed whether he was “interested in the National Treasury’s top post” two weeks before the former Minister of Finance, Nhlanhla Nene, was fired on 09 December 2015. 

It is imperative that the Deputy Minister breaks his silence and makes an urgent public statement clarifying: 

- whether he met members of the Gupta family and discussed the top post at the National Treasury; and

- whether he was offered a financial inducement by members of the Gupta family

The Deputy Minister’s best move would be to make a public statement, rather than zigzagging his way around the hard questions.

I will nevertheless submit a parliamentary question probing the allegation that the Deputy Minister met the members of the Gupta family to discuss the top post at the National Treasury two weeks before the former Minister of Finance, Nhlanhla Nene, was fired on 09 December 2016. 

Statement issued by David Maynier MP, DA Shadow Minister of Finance, 10 March 2016