Parliament - Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday denied he was aware the plane he recently flew to Japan with belonged to the controversial and wealthy Gupta family.
Speaking during a question-and-answer session in the National Council of Provinces, Ramphosa aligned himself with the sentiments of defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula who on Friday told journalists it was not the State’s business to enquire about the ownership of an aircraft before it was chartered for use by senior government officials.
“We have nothing to hide. I did not know who that plane belonged to,” he told MPs.
“Believe it or not. In the end it is the truth and the reality.”
Ramaphosa led a government delegation to Japan last month and travelled aboard the Bombardier Global Express aircraft, owned by the Guptas - known to be close to President Jacob Zuma.
The aircraft was ordered through ExecuJet, the charter company which manages the plane.
The controversy followed another incident in 2013 when a private plane transporting a wedding party for the Gupta family, was allowed to land at the Waterkloof Air Force Base - with government denying that it was responsible, blaming an Indian diplomat for bypassing proper channels and misrepresenting the purpose of the flight.
ANA