Ace Magashule
ANC MP Jackson Mthembu expressed outrage on Twitter at the Gupta family after deputy minister of finance Mcebisi Jonas’s explosive announcement that the family offered him the position of finance minister.
Jonas on Wednesday confirmed he was offered the job of finance minister before Nhlanhla Nene was removed.
Responding via Twitter to Jonas’s revelation, Mthembu said he could not believe the “arrogance” of the Guptas. He said the ANC should deal with the Gupta family once and for all.
“I believe Cde Jonas, @MyANC_ must deal with this arrogance of the #Guptas once and for all!!Who the hell do they think they are,” he tweeted.
When someone on his page then asked how the Guptas knew about the impending vacancy in the ministry, Mthembu said, “Good question that the ANC must get answers on”.
Reports surfaced at the weekend that Jonas was called to a meeting with the Guptas and offered the job two weeks before Nene was removed.
The Sunday Times also reported that President Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane Zuma, was at the meeting at a Sandton hotel in November. The newspaper further alleged that ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte had offered Jonas the position a few days later.
The Gupta family has denied that they offered Jonas the job.
In his statement, Jonas wrote: “Members of the Gupta family offered me the position of Minister of Finance to replace then Minister Nene,” he said.
“I rejected this out of hand. The basis of my rejection of their offer is that it makes a mockery of our hard earned democracy, the trust of our people and no one apart from the President of the Republic appoints ministers.”
Jonas also claimed that Duarte had not offered him the job later. – Lizeka Tandwa, News24