Johannesburg – The Economic Freedom Fighters, which had been raising the alarm on the perceived relationship between President Jacob Zuma and the Gupta family, said it felt vindicated by the deputy finance minister’s statement confirming that he had been offered a job as finance minister by the controversial family.
“On 10 March 2016, the EFF reported to the people of South Africa that the Gupta family is directly responsible for the firing of Nhlanhla Nene as Minister of Finance. The EFF further confirmed that the Guptas offered the Deputy Minister of Finance, Mcebisi Jonas, the cabinet post of finance minister to replace to replace Nhlanhla Nene,” the party said on Wednesday night.
Read Jonas' full statement here
“Today, Mcebisi Jonas confirmed what the EFF had already reported that the Gupta family had offered him a job of Finance Minister, which vindicates the EFF from attempts by the Guptas to portray us as rumour mongers.”
Read: Top quotes from deputy minister’s Gupta letter
Jonas confirmed reports that he was offered the post of finance minister by the wealthy Gupta family. Jonas added that he had not discussed the matter with the deputy secretary general of the ANC, Jessie Duarte as it had been reported by certain media houses. Treasury had also rejected reports that a few days after Jonas turned down the Gupta’s offer, the post was again offered to him by Duarte.
The Gupta family in turn refuted Jonas’ statement and denied meeting him over a job offer. The family said the latest allegations were just more political point scoring between rival factions within the ANC.
Read: Guptas deny Jonas job offer
The EFF said the family posed a threat to the country’s sovereignty.
“The Guptas have effectively undermined and rendered the votes of the people of South Africa and the democratic system useless. It also demonstrates that the ANC and Zuma have voluntarily handed over the political decision making of the country to a single family, the Guptas, which in itself is direct threat to the sovereignty and national security of the country.”
The party had earlier indicated that it would not participate in President Jacob Zuma’s quarterly question-and-answer session in the National Assembly on Thursday.
African News Agency
* Use IOL’s Facebook and Twitter pages to comment on our stories. See links below.