‘Wait until you see the Thuli report’ – Jonas sidesteps question on R600m nuclear programme bribe claims

27 October 2016 - 10:11 By TMG Digital
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Minister of Finance Mcebisi Jonas reported the alleged Gupta offer to Nhlanhla Nene.
Minister of Finance Mcebisi Jonas reported the alleged Gupta offer to Nhlanhla Nene.
Image: GALLO IMAGES

South Africa’s nuclear energy programme has to be implemented “in such a way that doesn’t undermine the fiscal integrity of the country”‚ Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas said on Thursday.

“The expenditure you undertake on building energy infrastructure ultimately will have to be paid by end users‚” he told Radio 702‚ commenting on his boss‚ Pravin Godhan’s medium-term budget policy statement a day earlier

He said the energy “tariff …has a direct bearing on growth issues etc‚ so you have to sensitive to this”.

Jonas would not‚ however‚ be drawn on questions that the Gupta finally had offered him R600-million in inducements in return for him pushing for the approval of the nuclear procurement programme.

This offer was reportedly made on same the day the politically connected family allegedly offered him the job of finance minister – Nhlanhla Nene was in the job at the time – as well as R600 000 in cash.

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The explosive claim was reported to be contained in Jonas' affidavit submitted to former public protector Thuli Madonsela as evidence during her state capture investigation.

When asked on Wednesday if he was “tempted by all those millions”‚ Jonas laughed as said: “We have bigger issues to look at. Wait until you see the Thuli report…we’ll postpone that for next week.”

That was a reference to next week’s North Gauteng High Court hearing of President Jacob Zuma’s application to interdict the release of Madonsela’s report.

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