Zondo set to rule on #StateCaptureInquiry cross-examinations on Thursday

Duduzane Zuma and Ajay Gupta.

Duduzane Zuma and Ajay Gupta.

Published Sep 12, 2018

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Johannesburg - Ajay Gupta, Rajesh Gupta and Duduzane Zuma will on Thursday know whether they will be allowed to cross-examine witnesses at the state capture inquiry. 

Chairperson of the commission deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo said he will deliver his decision on Thursday morning. 

Zondo reserved judgment last week after hearing arguments from legal councils representing implicated individuals who applied to cross-examine witnesses. 

Ajay Gupta was implicated by former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas who claimed he offered him a ministerial post in 2015, and R600 million if he took up the job. Former ANC MP Vytie Mentor also told the inquiry that Ajay Gupta offered her a ministerial post in 2010 at the family's Saxonworld compound. 

Former GCIS CEO Themba Maseko claimed Ajay Gupta had asked him to assist the family gain access to GCIS' R600 million media advertising budget. 

Maseko said he was fired by former president Jacob Zuma after he refused to help the Gupta family.

Duduzane Zuma was implicated in testimonies of Jonas and Mentor. He has told the commission that he will appear at the inquiry to give his version of events. 

Last week the Gupta's legal counsel Advocate Mike Hellens had argued that his clients were willing to appear before the commission, but they were unwilling to do so from South Africa as they were unclear if there was a warrant of arrest out for them and if they were fugitives from justice. 

Hellens argued that his clients had seen the abuse of power by the Hawks and the NPA, in previous botched cases involving their associates and businesses, and this made them unwilling to subject themselves to that abuse of power. 

Controversial businessman Fana Hlongwane, who has ties to the Gupta family, has been granted leave to cross-examine Jonas. 

Former president Jacob Zuma's previous chief of staff, Laleka Kaunda, has also been granted permission to cross-examine Mentor. 

The commission will on Monday hear evidence from representatives of banks that were involved in the closure of Gupta related bank accounts. 

The country's big four banks decided to close Gupta owned bank accounts in 2016 after they detected a number of suspicious transactions.

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#StateCaptureInquiry