LIVE FEED: State capture inquiry - July 10, 2020

Picture: Bongani Mbatha/African News Agency (ANA) Archives

Picture: Bongani Mbatha/African News Agency (ANA) Archives

Published Jul 10, 2020

Share

Johannesburg - The State Capture Inquiry resumes on Friday morning and will hear evidence related to law enforcement agencies.

The inquiry will hear evidence from Ambassador Mzuvukile Maqetuka. Maqetuka previously served as director-general (DG) at the State Security Agency (SSA). 

He had served as DG when the agency had contemplated investigating the Gupta family. 

Last year, the commission heard evidence from former SSA official Moe Shaik who told the inquiry that an intelligence operation to investigate the Gupta family had been halted by then state security minister Siyabonga Cwele. 

Shaik, who headed-up the foreign branch, said Cwele would not listen to reason on the possible questions and basis for investigating the family. 

He detailed a 2011 meeting with Cwele where he said he, along with his intelligence colleagues, fought to prove that the investigation was necessary.

The three intelligence officials, including Gibson Njenje and Jeff Maqetuka, had decided to pursue an investigation into the Gupta family.

WATCH FEED HERE

Shaik said several factors motivated the investigation. The first was a call from US intelligence services and concerns from the then US ambassador to South Africa about the Guptas' involvement in the purchase of a uranium mine.

The Americans were worried that the Iranian government may be involved in funding the project.

Shaik, Njenje and Maqetuka were also concerned about national security, focused on allegations of the Guptas' intimate knowledge of former president Jacob Zuma’s 2010 Cabinet reshuffle.

Shaik said another concern was a report that Fikile Mbalula declared in an ANC NEC meeting that he had been called by one of the Gupta brothers and informed that he would be appointed as minister of sports.

He asserted that the Guptas could have been stopped if the investigation had been allowed to continue.

Shaik, along with Njenje, was fired in late 2011 by Cwele who said the two were removed for conducting an “irregular” investigation.

IOL

Related Topics:

statecaptureinquiry