Norma Mngoma. Picture: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)
NORMA Mngoma, estranged wife of former SA finance minister, Malusi Gigaba, made some startling revelations during her appearance at the Zondo Commission on Monday.
Mngoma claimed that the Gupta's had a hand in influencing appointments at state-owned enterprises and alleged that Ajay Gupta and Gigaba would often get into arguments over appointments.
She said most of the time at Transnet, it would be people that Gupta felt needed to be appointed or needed to leave.
"They would argue about it because Malusi had his own favourites while Ajay had his," she said.
Regarding SAA, Mngoma said most of the time when Malusi was with Ajay they would discuss the board.
"There was a lot of discomfort between Malusi and the chairperson of SAA, sometimes they would discuss that. He told me the Guptas don't like him. They told him there would be a new restructuring. Someone else would move to Eskom and Brian Dames will leave. I didn't know how the process would happen but it did," she told the commission.
She added that he knew who would get the job before the appointee.
Mngoma recalled when he said that Dames would be replaced by Brian Molefe at Eskom.
Mngoma told the commission, in detail, how the Guptas gave Gigaba gifts, including a BMW. She alleged the Guptas also gave him jewellery and money.
She said the Guptas bought Malusi a white 3-series BMW while he was Minister of Public Enterprises and claimed the family further bailed his sister out of R850,000 credit card debt. She claimed that they paid for their honeymoon in Dubai after allegedly forking out around R4 million for their wedding.
Mngoma’s testimony was initially scheduled to take place earlier this month, but she pulled out of the proceedings at the last minute. She was then summoned by Zondo to appear.
Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has imposed sanctions against the state capture-accused Gupta brothers and associate Salim Essa.