WATCH LIVE: State Capture Inquiry
(Courtesy of SABC)
14 Mar 2019
Zondo adjourns for the day, and proceedings resume at 09:30 tomorrow morning, where the commission is expected to hear more testimony from Mcebisi Jonas.
14 Mar 2019
Zondo wraps up his discussion with Nene, but Pretorius says he would still like to clarify a few more issues of "controversy".
14 Mar 2019
Zondo says he is worried that in an election year, people don't want to come forward for fear of painting their organisations in a bad light. He is worried about how few people are coming forward to share evidence with the commission.
Nene: "Chair, I think that what I've said is about all I can say on this matter, because I said we are not wired the same, but also that for some of us our positions and our titles are actually much more important than us as human beings."
Nene: "Without these titles, perhaps we are nothing, forgetting at the end of the day that we actually acquire these titles for a reason and that's why we actually take an oath, which we should live by. Our Constitution, and our oath of office, should actually be the guiding principle. But at times, and as I said earlier, we are able to - and perhaps this is one of the reasons I always say I wouldn't make a very good politician, because I do not believe in the language that says, 'I was quoted out of context'."
Nene: "I believe in having not been honest, and there is a need to be honest, but also coming forward to assist a commission like this is an opportunity for our country to deal with issues of the past, and be able to move forward, and I think that it is indeed tragic that we are not getting many of our colleagues coming forward."
14 Mar 2019
Zondo still delving deeper into Nene's "eight visits" to the Guptas. Questions whether Nene really never benefitted from the family, during and after his visits and interactions with them.
14 Mar 2019
Pretorius wraps up his questioning.
Zondo seeks further clarity from Nene on some issues, particularly his visits to Saxonwold.
14 Mar 2019
Pretorius asks Nene about the reasons for his resignation as finance minister shortly after appearing at the commission to testify in 2018.
Nene says he felt he was not honest with eNCA in a previous interview, about his engagement with the Guptas and visiting Saxonwold, and the office that he held deserved to stay above reproach. Because of this impropriety, Nene says he decided to make things easier for the president and resign, 'considering how unforgiving South Africans are'.
14 Mar 2019
Pretorius asks Nene about allegations that his son was involved in a business deal with Duduzane Zuma on a project in Brakfontein. Nene says his son came across an opportunity where a stake in the mine was being sold, and after due diligence was completed, they did not pursue the deal. Nene says that according to his son, the Brakfontein mine was too expensive and it wouldn't have made business sense.
14 Mar 2019
Nene mentions an SMS sent to him by Shivambu, and adds that the SMS was also sent to then-Treasury DG Dondo Mogajane, asking for their intervention at VBS.
14 Mar 2019
Nene says it is public knowledge that Floyd Shivambu from the EFF has been linked to the VBS Mutual Bank looting scandal.
Nene says he strongly believes that there was an attempt to tarnish his image and bring his testimony into question before he even appeared at the commission.
14 Mar 2019
Pretorius asks Nene about substantial funding that Iqbal Surve received from the PIC. Nene says he played no role in the (widely-publicised) funding that Surve received.
14 Mar 2019
Nene says his son told him he had not benefitted and that he had resigned from the company in question, and he did not benefit from any investment the company received.
Nene says he also denies doing business with any "dodgy people" as alleged in media reports, and he invites the EFF to produce any such evidence.
14 Mar 2019
Pretorius asks Nene about a Public Protector complaint made in 2018, that originated from DA MP David Maynier. Pretorius says in the letter of complaint, Maynier asked the Public Protector to investigate Nene's conduct, regarding his son who allegedly benefitted from an investment by the PIC.
14 Mar 2019
Nene explains that as the deputy minister of finance, he was required by law to be a non-executive chairperson of the PIC board, as part of his duties.
Nene says his response to the allegations remains the same - he has never promoted any funding from the PIC to businesses related to his son, Siyabonga.
As chair of the PIC, Nene says he was not aware of any finance given to his son by the PIC.
14 Mar 2019
Pretorius says the work of commission investigators is continuing on the issues relating to the PIC. Pretorius says so far they have not received evidence from any political party.
14 Mar 2019
The commission appears to be experiencing some technical difficulties and is "offline". Proceedings adjourn for five minutes.
14 Mar 2019
Back from the break, former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene takes his seat.
Advocate Mahlape Sello from the commission's legal team is currently addressing Zondo, with regard to Nene's testimony.
14 Mar 2019
Ramontja says he can see from the letter that people were trying to push for Tegeta to purchase Optimum and used the Department of Mineral Resources to do so.
Maleka wraps up his questioning, and Zondo rounds off Ramontja's testimony.
Ramontja is thanked for his time and testimony, and is excused by Zondo.
Proceedings adjourn for 10 minutes to prepare for the next witness.