OVERVIEW: ‘When it smells fishy, then it is fishy’ - Fuzile tells #StateCaptureInquiry

Testifying at the commission is less about being about heroes, being vindictive but it’s about the lesson for every South African that it carries.  

This is a country governed by the Constitution and law, Fuzile says.

Fuzile:

There are many people who opted to not see what was happening, in terms of corruption.  

I don’t think that many of us are shocked by the last events of state capture or corruption.  

When it smells fishy then it is fishy.  

One of the things that made sure we were able to withstand negative things was the fact that we were led by people who hold our Constitution very dear in Gordhan and Jonas, Fuzile tells the commission.  

Fuzile says he was very proud to work with Gordhan, Nene, Jonas, Trevor Manual, Moleketi, people who never sought to ask us to help them or gain personally for themselves.      

Fuzile says it’s clear that the way Mr Bobat threw his weight around and abrasive that it was unbearable for me to stay, because the Gupta person said it to Jonas.

After one term Gordhan was replaced by Nene.

From having a minister with 13 years to having a minister for one term and then another for 13 months, it was clear to me that there would be a minister who would be weak. Our department was recognised worldwide.

Fuzile heard for the first time about the meeting between the Guptas and Mcebisi Jonas two months after it happened, from Jonas.  

The meeting with Jonas in December was to complete the picture insofar as the role a particular Gupta person played.  

He said that a Gupta was insinuating that they had information on Jonas and that many people in government worked for that particular Gupta, and they wanted Jonas to take the job of Minister of Finance as it would help them expand their business.

There is no reason why anyone would want the kind of information shared there for fun. It is about putting themselves at an advantage, Fuzile says.  

The sharing of the information was illegal. Trillian, Regiment Capital and McKinsey was privy to that information.

Fuzile sent an email to Ian Whitely and chief of staff of then Minister Nene.

The email states that it’s still early days but have a look at it and the (then) minister can shape it as he wishes.

The ellipses in an email from Ian saying ‘Gents, finally…’ means, to Fuzile, that at long last it has come or the waiting is over.

The email is then sent to a few other people by Whitely from his Gmail address, including Mabaso and Bobat.      

Fuzile tells the commission:

Information that presents opportunities for business for people if you have access to the contract.   Some of that information has the potential to move the market in one way or the other.

If someone who is in treasury and steals the information to give it to others, it was a problem that Mr Bobat saw it fit to share the information.  

It was like turning the treasury into a spaza shop, and I'm sure people owning a spaza shop would take offense because they keep record.

Most of what the document, was about the strategic thinking or shaping the strategic thinking of Cabinet and what opportunities were there to exploit to accelerate the growth of the economy.  

The document was not meant to be reproduced or sent outside, says Fuzile.  

The company’s name had been mentioned a few times (Transet being one of those) involving irregularities.

Trillion just splintered of Regiment Capital. The directors who ended up at Trillion came out of Regiment.  

Fuzile says he learnt later after seeing Mr Mabaso that he had been at the department of mineral resources at that time.

It wasn’t possible that we could appoint him at treasury if he was at DMR and this was the reason why Van Rooyen didn't want Mabaso's details should be captured on the system.