'Mr Bongo must stop hallucinating' - Gordhan responds to poisoning claims
22 November 2019
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has hit back at former state security minister Bongani Bongo's claims against him.
Speaking to eNCA on Thursday, Bongo claimed that, after a meeting with Gordhan, he fell ill and had to seek treatment in Cuba.
"I was given poison. I was going to finalise my treatment in Cuba", Bongo said during an interview with the news channel on Thursday evening.
His trip was cut short, however, when he was asked to hand himself over to the Hawks.
"I had to cut my trip short to come and attend to the police”, he told eNCA.
Speaking to News24, Gordhan’s spokesperson Sam Mkokeli said Bongo must be "hallucinating".
"That's a ridiculously foolish statement to make. Mr Bongo must stop hallucinating. He must instead look in the mirror and see exactly what he has done for him to be arrested.
"His statement is plainly nonsensical. He might need to get a lawyer to help him prepare a dignified defence to the official criminal charge, instead of offering outrageous fairy tales," Mkokeli said.
During his interview with eNCA, Bongo further denied he had tried to bribe the evidence leader of parliament’s state capture inquiry into Eskom, advocate Ntuthuzelo Vanara, saying he had neither the interest nor the money to do so.
"Vanara did not have the capacity to stop an inquiry which was sanctioned by Parliament," Bongo said.
"The allegations that I attempted to give a blank cheque – I don’t think I have that blank cheque and I don’t have any money to pay for bribery, because I don’t have any interest [in] issues that relate to Eskom."
Bongo was arrested on Thursday morning in the Western Cape on charges of corruption, News24 reported.
He was given bail of R5 000 and his case is set for next year.
