The Guptas’ poisonous legacy still haunts the diamond coast of the Northern Cape. Alexkor, the state diamond mine at the mouth of the Orange River, ‘has been destroyed by corruption and State Capture’ its miners say.
ZWANE: GUPTAS DIDNâT SEND ME TO INDIA! Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi
Comments Former minister of mineral resources Mosebenzi Zwane testifies at the Zondo Commission in Joburg yesterday. The commission heard Eskom and Estina dairy farm project-related evidence. Photo by Gallo Images/Papi Morake.
FORMER minerals resources minister Mosebenzi Zwane has denied his trip to India in 2012 was paid for by the Guptas.
He told the Zondo Commission yesterday he didn’t know how his name was included in the names among the choir members who were taken to that country by the Guptas. Zwane, who was the MEC of agriculture in Free State at the time, said the trip was approved and funded by the department for him to lure investors.
Mosebenzi Zwane served as Free State agriculture MEC when he flew to India in October 2012. He was on the same flight as the Umsingizane Gospel Choir. He helped form the choir and had recorded a number of songs with the group.
Members of the choir and Zwane’s staff used his iPad and email account to arrange their accommodation in India. The travel and accommodation details were forwarded to Ashu Chawla, who worked for Sahara Computers, owned by the Gupta family, who appear to have paid for the choir’s trip.
In those emails from Zwane’s private account, Zwane was listed as one of the choir members who was due to visit India. Returning to the State Capture Commission on Thursday, he maintained he did not travel as part of the group.