POLITICS

Zondo commission: Nene, Mentor appearances postponed

Former finance minister has broken ankle, while former ANC MP needs more time

#StateCaptureInquiry: Nene, Mentor appearance postponed

15 November 2018

Former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene will not appear before the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture this week as planned.

His testimony had to be postponed as he is not allowed to travel because of a broken ankle.

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo granted the postponement application which means Nene will now only appear after January 1, 2019.

Nene's advocate Adila Hassim presented a medical certificate which advised that the former minister against travelling or flying because it risked deep vein thrombosis.

Mentor testimony postponed

Meanwhile, advocate Mahlape Sello, representing former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor, asked for the continuation of Mentor's evidence-in-chief to be deferred to November 30.

Three parties have applied to cross-examine Mentor, including Ajay Gupta, businessman Fana Hlongwane and former aide to former president Jacob Zuma, Lakela Kaunda.

Mentor alleged that Ajay Gupta offered her former public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan's job at a clandestine meeting in 2010 - allegations he has denied.

More time

Sello argued that Mentor had only recently received the results of investigations arising from her testimony and wanted to have more time to deal with these at the same time, instead of on a piecemeal basis.

Zondo granted both applications and Mentor will now appear before him at the end of the month.

The commission resumes on Monday with the much-awaited testimony of Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan.

News24