Suspended Hawks official says Jonas defeated the ends of juctice

Former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas has been slammed by a senior official in the Hawks for allegedly being negligent and tardy in cooperating with the police's elite corruption-busting unit in its Gupta investigation.

Major General Zintle Mnonopi further accuses Jonas of "defeating the ends of justice". Statements he has provided, detailing the infamous meeting in 2015 where Ajay Gupta allegedly offered him a Cabinet post and R600m, are "incomplete, shallow and not comprehensive", says Mnonopi adds.

In a sworn affidavit, released by the commission of inquiry into state capture on Thursday, Mnonopi slams Jonas, who told Deputy Chief Justice Ray Zondo in August that the Hawks were reluctant to investigate his claims. He told the commission that Mnonopi referred to the matter as "a DA matter" and that he felt the police wanted to quash the issue.

In her affidavit, Mnonopi, who was suspended earlier this month, says Jonas defeated the ends of justice because "he failed to open a case timeously, thus the Guptas were not arrested and have consequently freely left the country because no warrant [of arrest] was issued".

READ: Ajay Gupta says Mcebisi Jonas is lying

She also denies that she ever referred to the case as "a DA matter" or that she wanted to "kill" it.

Complaints against the Guptas were laid by MPs David Maynier (DA) and Dennis Bloem (Cope) after Jonas revealed the alleged attempts by Ajay Gupta to buy him.

Mnonopi further says she only managed to secure a meeting with Jonas in July 2016 after several attempts proved unsuccessful. Jonas was presented with a statement which the Hawks wanted to use to formally lay a criminal charge.

"I believe that Mr Jonas had a legal duty to report any corruption as soon as possible and that by such omission he has failed to discharge his constitutional mandate and obligation," the affidavit reads.

"Mr Jonas' propensities of furnishing his statement piecemeal leaves a lot to be desired and cannot be justified, (and) has also caused more harm to the investigations."