OVERVIEW: #StateCaptureInquiry - Hogan, Gordhan's testimony postponed until mid-November

On implicated persons being afforded an opportunity to respond, Zondo says that "fairness, mustn't be confused with the fairness that is subject to the rules and practices of courts of law." 

"It must be fairness as understood in the context of a commission of inquiry, and in this regard many aspects of the rules of fairness applicable in a court of law, will apply to a commission such as this one, but there will be certain differences, and at all times, all concerned must bear this distinction in mind."

Zondo also points out that "this commission would like to try and finish its job within a reasonable time".

Zondo on Gordhan's statement only being submitted tomorrow: "There simply will not be enough time for implicated persons to be given notice and for them to give their version and to consider the allegations that will be made in the statement against them, before Minister Pravin Gordhan gives evidence before the commission."

Norman clears up some of the uncertainty about Hogan's statements, says the initial statement still stands. Zondo says that Mantsha has argued that they were not told about the initial statement. 

Norman earlier argued that the updated statement merely expands on the first.

Advocate Norman now addressing Zondo again, disputing some of the submissions made by Mantsha, on behalf of Zuma. 

Norman says Zuma's legal team "wants to create some doubt" about Hogan's statement being received by them.

Advocate Norman concludes her application for postponement.

Advocate Thandi Norman tells Zondo that Hogan and Gordhan's statements were submitted later than required for the team to review them in good time. 

Norman also raises concerns about witnesses coming to the commission more than once. Zondo says the return of witnesses is unavoidable, and some will be asked to appear at the commission more than once. 

Commission chair, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has taken his seat, and is being addressed by the head of the legal team, Advocate Paul Pretorius. 

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Nene - from hero to zero under a week

It has taken approximately less than seven days for former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene to move from being one of the most trusted and loved public servants to him now being referred to as compromised, with some questioning his integrity.

Last Wednesday, while giving testimony at the commission of inquiry into state capture, Nene admitted he had met with the controversial Gupta family at least six times at their Saxonwold home during his tenures as deputy finance minister as well as during the early stages of his first stint as head of Treasury. 

This was contrary to comments he had previously made, and was highlighted when television news channel eNCA aired a clip of Nene denying in an interview that he was invited to any engagements with the controversial Gupta family who are at the centre of state capture allegations. 

I visited the Guptas for 'social cohesion reasons' - Gigaba 

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba visited the Guptas for "social cohesion reasons", but denies they had any sway over him.

"During my tenure, I, at no stage, assisted the Gupta family, or any other private interest group, to capture the state," Gigaba told the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday night.

The committee is holding an inquiry into four members of the Gupta family's early naturalisation. The committee started listening to testimony at about 10:00. Gigaba appeared before the committee shortly after 22:00. 

Gigaba said having studied a report of the testimony the committee previously heard: "I am satisfied that it does not implicate me in any wrongdoing.

"It is unfortunate that this issue of the naturalisation of one family, has been used to cast negative aspersions on me," he said.

Gigaba disparaged an "unfounded narrative" tying him to the Guptas. 

ICYMI: 

Nene admits Gupta errors, begs for forgiveness 

Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene said he was wrong to meet the Gupta family at their house and should have disclosed these encounters.

“These visits do cast a shadow on my conduct as a public office bearer,” Nene said in an emailed statement on Friday.

“I deeply regret these lapses and beg your forgiveness.”

The statement comes after Nene on Wednesday told a commission of inquiry into corruption under former President Jacob Zuma that he visited the Gupta home in the Johannesburg suburb Saxonwold four times while he was deputy minister and twice during his first stint as finance minister. 

ICYMI: 

ANC offers top 6 meeting minutes on Nene's firing if record will help state capture commission 

If the state capture commission wants the ANC to present minutes of a meeting where former president Jacob Zuma told the party's top six of his decision to axe Nhlanhla Nene during his first stint as finance minister, the party will do so.

This is according to the party's head of the office of the presidency, Zizi Kodwa.

The commission looking into state capture heard on Wednesday from Nene that Zuma informed him that he was being removed as the country's finance minister in a meeting that only lasted a few minutes on December 9, 2015.

Nene also claims Zuma told him he had briefed the top six about this decision. The party's top officials at the time included Cyril Ramaphosa, Gwede Mantashe, Jessie Duarte, Baleka Mbete and Zweli Mkhize. 

ICYMI: 

#StateCaptureInquiry: How I was removed from office – Nene 

Former president Jacob Zuma took about two to three minutes to inform Nhlanhla Nene that he was removing him as finance minister, the judicial commission of inquiry into state capture heard on Wednesday.

Nene was reshuffled from Cabinet on December 9, 2015, and replaced by Des van Rooyen who lasted in the position for only a weekend.

Nene said on that day he was on his way home from a meeting when he received a call from the president's office, informing him that the former president wanted to see him.

"I immediately turned back [and headed] to the Union Buildings. I arrived at the Union Buildings at about 18:00 or 18:15. When I arrived I was required to wait in the waiting room for a short while," he said. 

ICYMI: 

#StateCaptureInquiry: Nene says he was axed in 2015 because he was not willing to 'toe the line' 

Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene told the state capture commission of inquiry that he believed he was axed in 2015 because he was not "willing to toe the line" when it came to certain projects.

"In hindsight, also having heard from the former deputy minister's saga, it seems that these projects may have benefited the Gupta family and other close associates of the then president [Jacob Zuma]," Nene said on Wednesday. 

He said he had a meeting with former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas who told him that the Gupta family wanted to offer him his job and R600m.

He said their meeting took place on a balcony, where they believed they would be safe from prying ears and eyes, given the climate after Project Spider Web. 

ICYMI: 

#StateCaptureInquiry: 5 revelations from Nene's testimony 

Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene told the state capture commission of inquiry that his December 2015 axing was linked to the nuclear build programme which then-president Jacob Zuma sought to finalise. 

This is the first time a member of Cabinet has appeared before the commission, headed up by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

Here are some of the revelations which emerged during his testimony:

1. Nene said he twice refused to sign off a nuclear deal with Russia because it would have had severe financial implications for the country. He first told former energy minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson that he would not sign off a deal for Russia to provide South Africa with nuclear energy, because it lacked a feasibility study and there were unknown cost implications. He asked her to rewrite the letter, but still refused to put his signature on it. 

ICYMI: 

#StateCaptureInquiry: Data containing Gupta leaks can be received as evidence 

Deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo has allowed data on three hard drives containing what has become known as #Guptaleaks to be received as evidence in the judicial commission of inquiry into state capture.   

Zondo also said should any specific person or party wish to have access to the data, leave should be sought from the commission. 

The ruling comes after advocate Kate Hofmeyr's argument on Friday morning that the commission can receive any evidence relevant to its mandate. 

ICYMI: 

#StateCaptureInquiry: Duduzane Zuma gives his version of what meeting with Jonas was about 

Duduzane Zuma, the son of the former president, has dismissed claims made by former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas that a ministerial post was offered to him at the Gupta compound in Saxonwold, Johannesburg in October 2015.

Zuma said in an affidavit to the state capture commission of inquiry that he met with Jonas because there were rumours that Jonas claimed that businessman Fana Hlongwane had blackmailed him.

"These rumours were regarded as very serious," he said.

"When these rumours started to surface, Mr Hlongwane, in discussion with me, decided to set up a meeting with Mr Jonas in an attempt to clear it up. I met Jonas for the first time at Hyatt Hotel (in Rosebank) as arranged via telephone discussing/SMS exchanges between us."