President Cyril Ramaphosa has admitted meeting with the Guptas, but there was nothing sinister about it, according to his affidavit.
This is contained in the affidavit released by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo on Friday following a request by Ramaphosa. In his affidavit, Ramaphosa said he had met with the Guptas several times, but nothing extended beyond that. The Guptas have been a subject of evidence delivered at the Zondo Commission over the last few months.
Several witnesses including former and current Cabinet Ministers, senior ANC figures and top government officials have implicated the family in wrongdoing.
But Ramaphosa said his relationship with them was not based on anything else. Ramaphosa said he recalled meeting one of the Gupta brothers in 2016 where they discussed matters of substance and this related to the banks.
It was at this point that he raised the issue of the landing of their private jet at the Waterkloof airbase.
The issue of the landing of the plane in 2013 was the subject of the commission a few weeks ago where former head of state protocol Bruce Koloane was questioned by the commission.
Koloane had admitted to name dropping during his testimony. Zondo earlier said he was releasing the affidavit of Ramaphosa at his own request so that there would not be any speculation. He urged other leaders of the ANC and Cabinet ministers to come forward.
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Deputy Justice Raymond Zondo said he has received an affidavit from President Cyril Ramaphosa on whether he had relations with the Guptas or Bosasa. Zondo said he informed Ramaphosa that he must be the first one to hand over an affidavit before the Commission could ask the rest of Cabinet.
“President Ramaphosa accepted that this was necessary and indicated he would furnish the Commission with an affidavit making such disclosures. He undertook to encourage the rest of the Cabinet to do the same when approached by the Commission,” said Zondo…Read more here
Source: IOL
