JOHANNESBURG - Former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana, testified at the Eskom Inquiry earlier this afternoon. He has been accused of meeting with the Gupta family and Duduzane Zuma over a R50bn tender to procure trains.
The inquiry heard claims from Montana that Deputy Public Enterprises Minister Ben Martins tried to protect his own name at his expense, by creating an impression that Montana was the person who arranged a meeting between him, the Guptas and Duduzane Zuma in September 2012.
“This is a man I have huge respect for, I could not believe at media briefing he tried to protect his own name at my expense,” said Montana. He further added that he was testifying to set the record straight.
“In September 2012 I met with the honorable Ben Martins. He invited me to his ministerial house in Pretoria. I went to meet him at the time he was Minister of Transport,” said Montana. After having tea, Montana said Tony Gupta and Duduzane Zuma joined the meeting, he had never met them before.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss appointments of the Prasa board, as CEO Montana said that he did not have that authority as that lied with the minister.