No Ministers Appointed By The Guptas

PARLIAMENT President Jacob Zuma has said that no ministers or deputy ministers were appointed
by the Gupta family.

The President was speaking during a question and answer session in Cape Town on Thursday
afternoon.

Im in charge of the government, I appoint, in terms of the constitution. There is no minister here
who was appointed by the Guptas or anyone else, they were appointed by me, said Zuma.

On Wednesday afternoon, Deputy Minister of finance,Mcebisi Jonas, confirmed that the Guptas
offered him the position of finance minister before former Minister Nhlanhla Nene was removed
from his position in December 2015.

Democratic Alliance leader, Mmusi Maimane, asked a follow-up question to the President's response.

Mr President, its become quite clear

that power no longer sits at Union
Buildings or Luthuli house, it sits in
Saxonwold, said Maimane.

You and your family are getting richer

while South Africans are getting poorer
and losing jobs. My question is, has
anyone been offered a position by the
Guptas or is Mcebisi Jonas in fact lying?
he asked.

The IFPs Sibongile Nkomo also asked Zuma if he was under any influence when he briefly appointed
Des van Rooyen to the position of finance minister.

The President replied that there were always reasons why ministers were removed or replaced, and
the only influence on this was the ANC.

He said the rand was already underperforming before the decision was made.

The rand was on a downslope, said Zuma.

The DA leader rose on a point of order, disagreeing with the Presidents comments.

Maimane and other DA members of Parliament then left the National Assembly.
- eNCA