Johannesburg - The minister of defence said on Friday that she declined an invite to the Gupta wedding for her “own reasons”.
Guests for the wedding controversially landed at the Waterkloof Air Force Base on Tuesday morning and were escorted by what appeared to be an official police blue-light brigade.
At a joint press briefing, high-ranking government officials addressed questions over how the craft was allowed to land at the military base.
The officials included Minister of Home Affairs Naledi Pandor, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, and Minister of Justice Jeff Radebe.
Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane chaired the briefing, while the national police commissioner, General Riah Phiyega, was also present.
“I was invited (to the Gupta wedding), but I did not attend,” said Mapisa-Nqakula, before being heckled by the other ministers, who joked that she was invited to lots of weddings. “I’ve got the floor, ministers,” she said, straight-faced.
“There were some colleagues who did attend the wedding and probably some who are still attending today; there’s nothing wrong with that,” Mapisa-Nqakula added.
She said that she had declined for her “own reasons”.
Saturday Star