CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA MAY 30: Public Enterprise Minister Lynne Brown during a meeting with Parliaments Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) on May 30, 2017 in Cape Town, South Africa. The Eskom delegation appeared before Scopa to explain how coal contracts were awarded to the Gupta-linked Tegeta company. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sowetan / Esa Alexander)
Lynne Brown: ‘Having a r/ship with Guptas doesn’t mean I work for them’
Lynne Brown wants to question Jonas but Chief Justice Zondo is having none of it.
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA MAY 30: Public Enterprise Minister Lynne Brown during a meeting with Parliaments Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) on May 30, 2017 in Cape Town, South Africa. The Eskom delegation appeared before Scopa to explain how coal contracts were awarded to the Gupta-linked Tegeta company. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sowetan / Esa Alexander)
Lynne Brown, the former Minister of Public Enterprises, is more than ready to defend her honour at the commission of inquiry into state capture.
She wants to highlight the key difference between having a relationship with the Gupta family and working for them.
Brown believes strongly that her dealings with the embattled family lean more towards the former than the latter.
Brown’s aim is to get the opportunity to cross-examine Mcebisi Jonas, the former Deputy Minister of FInance. However, Deputy Chief Justice, Raymond Zondo dismissed this bid, citing that she lacked the necessary requirements to feature in the inquiry.
Sowetan Live did report that
She can however submit a new application at a later stage if she “meets the requirements”, Justice Zondo ruled before announcing the next set of witnesses to testify at the commission.
Current and former finance ministers Nhlanhla Nene and Pravin Gordhan will testify on October 3 and 10 respectively. Former public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan would give evidence on October 15.
Read – State capture inquiry: Jacob Zuma says he is ‘misunderstood’
Lynne Brown attempts to cross-examine Jonas fail epically
The one thing that Brown needs clarification on is the part of Jonas’ testimony where he stated that Ajay Gupta had informed him of the close business relationship the family had with Brown, former Chief Executive Officer of Eskom, Brian Molefe, and other government ‘high-fliers’.
Brown’s lawyer, Simmy Lebala, insisted that it was of paramount importance that he question Jonas on this statement. However, Zondo would not allow this, on the basis that Jonas was merely reporting what he was told, as it was said by Ajay.
Read – State capture inquiry: Gupta requests shot down, Duduzane Zuma to appear
“He (Jonas) is not the one who said the Guptas worked with, among others, Ms Brown. Mr Jonas will say what he was told. He is not in the position to dispute what he was told.” said Zondo.
Zondo then denied Lebala leave to cross-examination after the defendant failed to provide a counter version of events in her affidavit.
“Where is her version? If you cannot answer the question, whatever you say is not going to help. If that requirement is not there, you are going to have serious problems getting me to grant you leave to cross-examine,” he stated.
The inquiry is set to continue on Thursday, 27 September. Jonas and Vytjie Mentor — a former ANC member and MP — are also set to return to the hot seat to answer some questions regarding their initial testimony.
