Another Treasury and Gupta revelation: Jonas was offered millions, allegedly

You can’t make this ish up. Well, you can, and some people might, but the more you read, the more it sounds like South Africa’s political landscape is set for a Hollywood Blockbuster with bad accents.

According to a report in the Sunday Times, Ajay Gupta allegedly offered deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas up to R600 million to follow orders relating the the procurement of a R1 trillion nuclear deal.

Apparently, the Guptas offered Jonas the job of finance minister with, wait for it, a black back filled with R600 000 at the family home in Joburg last year.

This isn’t exactly breaking news – Jonas confirmed that the Gupta family had offered him the gig after Nhlanhla Nene was fired.

There are, however, new details of exactly what happened. The details come from an affidavit submitted to former public protector Thuli Madonsela for her report into the so-called “state capture”.

According to the Sunday Times, the follow information is in the affidavit

• The Gupta family wanted Jonas to push for the approval of the R1 trillion nuclear deal
• The meeting happened six weeks before Nene was fired
• JZ’s son, Duduzane, a Gupta associate, was also there, along with arms deal broker and Fana Hlongwane
• The R600 000 in a black bag was just the start – R600 million would eventually come his way
• Jonas called Nene after leaving Saxonworld to tell him about what happened.
• Nene reportedly confirmed that this call did indeed take place

The report was due to be released on Friday, but things have stalled after Jacob Zuma, and David van Rooyen, the minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs applied for an interdict to block Madonsela from releasing a report.

Van Rooyen has since withdrawn his application and JZ’s case will be heard on 1 November.

Obviously the Gupta Family’s lawyer denied such a meeting ever took place and told the Sunday Times that he could supply counter affidavits from other witnesses.

According to the Citizen, Hlongwane wrote a letter to the former Public Protector earlier this month. While he admits a meeting took place and Duduzane was there, he says it happened at the Hyatt hotel in Rosebank and that the meeting was to “sort out issues” between himself and Jonas.