South African Graft Commission Unpacks New Revelations

The Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture - a public inquiry launched by the government of Former President Jacob Zuma, in January 2018, to "investigate allegations of state capture, corruption, fraud and other allegations in the public sector including organs of state" - has heard Malusi Gigaba claim that he never tried to force South African Airways officials to abandon the airline's Mumbai route and let a Gupta-linked company take over.

Gigaba, who served in multiple ministerial posts under former president Jacob Zuma, returned to the State Capture Commission and continued to refute testimony that suggests he went out of his way to benefit the Guptas. This comes ahead of Deputy State Security Minister Zizi Kodwa's testimony about his relationship with former EOH executive Jehan Mackay, who played a leading role at the tech giant while it made large donations to the ruling African National Congress and allegedly paid multiple party leaders while it bid on government tenders. Kodwa claimed that the money he received from the former EOH head was not in exchange for influencing tenders.

Meanwhile, Jacob Zuma's refusal to appear before the Commission - which he deemed unconstitutional - resulted in the former president being found guilty of contempt by the Constitutional Court which ordered him to report to the Nkandla police station within five days to serve a 15-month prison sentence.