Gordhan: The Guptas know I am not for sale
Former finance minister Pravin
Gordhan has told the commission of inquiry into state capture that he never set
foot in the Gupta’s Saxonwold compound.
During a second day of testimony at the commission in Parktown on Tuesday, Gordhan denied attending any meetings with the Gupta brothers.
“I want to make it absolutely clear that whatever the interactions might have been, there was no so called ‘meeting’, where two people sit and transact. There were interactions, or we happened to be in the same place. I am quite emphatic that I am not for sale or influenced. If I was, I would be sitting in a very different capacity,” Gordhan said.
A leaked affidavit, which saw the light ahead of his much-anticipated testimony, revealed several encounters between Gordhan and members of the Gupta family.
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During one of these encounters, Gordhan met Ajay Gupta during a visit to the presidential guesthouse.
“The second instance apart from these public occasions, I was requested to be at a meeting with the President. You have been to Mahlangu Ndlovu, so you know there are many different rooms. I was waiting in another room for a while for the president to finish whatever engagement he had. I was then asked to go to a room where he was present. I find a short gentleman sitting there and I’m introduced to him, and he is introduced to me as his friend as so-and-so Gupta, and he has some expertise in small business and finance. But as a courtesy to the president, I didn’t want to say that I didn’t want to talk to him.
"I listened to whatever little comments he wanted to make about business and finance for about two minutes. I think it became quite evident to him that I am not interested. He left and then my meeting with the president continued,” Gordhan told the commission.
Gordhan has also admitted to meeting Indian businessman Anil Ambani in 2010.
He said it was during this time where another Gupta brother was present at the same meeting.
“I have had meetings with Mr Anil Ambani as businessman and a billionaire from India. He runs a communications company called the Lions communication.
“The reason I agreed with Mr Ambani is because he could be a potential investor in SA.
“A Gupta, according to (former director-general at Treasury Dondo) Mogajane was present, the fact that I don’t even remember this person being there, shows you the amount of significance I have attached to that."
The commission is expected to continue on Wednesday, with Minister Gordhan set to give a final day of testimony.