Johannesburg - Former Cabinet minister Malusi Gigaba on Saturday dismissed damning claims of corruption by state-owned entities that he led and aided in looting.
An investigation commissioned by the National Treasury and carried out by Fundudzi Forensic Services has recommended Gigaba be prosecuted for signing a multi-billion rand contract with a Chinese company.
"Minister Gigaba signed as a witness when Molefe signed the contract between Transnet and China South Rail at the signing ceremony for the acquisition of the 95 locomotives on 22 October,” the report stated.
Fundudzi has recommended that the Transnet board quantify the amount of fruitless and wasteful expenditure involved and recover it from the relevant parties.
Gigaba’s spokesperson Vuyo Mkhize said the allegations against him were a ”pile of nonsense”. Mkhize said Gigaba merely appended his signature to the document on the basis that he was public enterprises minister. Mkhize dubbed the National Treasury’s report as nonsense of the highest order.
Mkhize said it was difficult to imagine that Gigaba’s detractors would sink to such stupidity. Gigaba, according to Mkhize, would not waste his time responding to the report. He said if law enforcement agencies wanted to talk to Gigaba, they were welcome, but: "I don’t think law enforcement agencies will be stupid enough to attempt to speak to him.”
Gigaba resigned this week as home affairs minister, following a Constitutional Court judgment dismissing his leave to appeal a High Court judgment that he lied under oath. The public protector has ordered the president to take action against him.