Gwede Mantashe hits back after Barbara Hogan's testimony

ANC national chair and mineral resources minister Gwede Mantashe has submitted two statements to the commission of inquiry into state capture.

Advocate Phillip Mokoena, who is leading the evidence of former public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan, told the commission on Tuesday that he had received two statements from Mantashe, both dated November 11 (Sunday).

Mokoena said neither statements were signed, but contained the African National Congress letterhead and Mantashe’s name at the end.

He said the statements were in response to Hogan's affidavit as well as evidence received from the banks.

Hogan - who served as public enterprises minister in 2009 and 2010 - told the commission on Monday that Mantashe, who was the party’s secretary-general at the time, summoned her to Luthuli House where she was taken to task over statements she had made about the need for a private equity partner in some state-owned companies, such as SAA.

She said that as a cabinet minister, she believed it was the function of the president to take her to task - not the ruling party.

In September, the commission heard evidence by executives of the "big four" South African banks. They testified that Mantashe and Enoch Godongwana had summoned them to the ANC's headquarters to account for why they closed bank accounts linked to the Gupta family and the family's business interests.  

Deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo, heading the state capture inquiry,  also announced that public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan’s testimony will be postponed to Monday next week. Gordhan was originally set to testify on November 15 (Thursday).