The man in charge of the continent's wealthiest city attempted to downplay any suggestion on Friday he had used his political influence to benefit his companies, as the commission of inquiry into state capture probed the sometimes blurred lines between doing business with the state and political influence.
Geoff Makhubo, a high ranking Gauteng ANC member, was involved in four companies prior to entering public service as Johannesburg's MMC for finance in 2011, a role he occupied until 2016. He became the mayor of the City of Johannesburg in December 2019.
On Friday, the commission zeroed in on the potential influence he may have been able to assert to benefit his business entity, Molelwane Consulting, particularly in the awarding of a lucrative contract to Regiments Capital, a company linked to the controversial Gupta family.
