Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane has questions to answer relating to the controversial 2015 trip to Zurich, Switzerland, according to former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s “State of Capture” report released on Wednesday.
“Minister Zwane needs to be interviewed in order for his version of events to be obtained. It cannot be disputed that Minister Zwane indeed travelled to Zurich for negotiations between Glencore and Tegeta,” said Madonsela in the much anticipated report.
Madonsela noted that Zwane did not complete his travel itinerary and “mysteriously ended up in Dubai, without boarding his scheduled flights from Zurich to Dubai, from Dubai to Delhi and from Delhi to Dubai”.
Media reports have long claimed that Zwane travelled with members of the wealthy Gupta family to Switzerland on a mission to persuade Glencore to sell Optimum coal mine to their companies Oakbay and Tegeta.
“Travel records obtained from Emirates Airlines confirm Minister Zwane’s travel itinerary for a trip undertaken between November 29 to December 7, 2015, which includes whether or not the flight was boarded,” said Madonsela.
The travel records published in Madonsela’s report indicate that only three of the seven booked flights were used. The total cost of the tickets was R96,630.
Madonsela said if not fully explained the travel fees amounted to fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
“It is unclear as to why Minister Zwane did not board his flights from December 2 to December 5. It is further unclear as to why an additional flight was booked from Dubai to Johannesburg on December 7. However, I still need to interview Minister Zwane in this regard,” Madonsela noted in her report.
“What is further peculiar is how Minister Zwane managed to reach Dubai on December 7 as there are no flight details for him travelling from Zurich to Dubai.”
Madonsela records that if Zwane officially travelled to meet Glencore CEO Ivan Glasenberg, “it would imply that his travel and reason for travel would have been authorised by the president [Jacob Zuma]”.
“I have also received information from an independent source that Minster Zwane did in fact meet with Mr Glasenberg in Switzerland at the Dolder Hotel around November 30 to December 5, 2015. Other individuals present during the said meeting/s was Mr Rajesh (Tony) Gupta, as well as Mr [Salim] Essa,” said Madonsela.
The former Public Protector also stated that if Zwane indeed travelled in his official capacity to support Tegeta’s bid to buy Optimum mine, his conduct would then give the Gupta-owned Tegeta an unfair advantage over other interested buyers.
“Further, it is potentially unlawful for the minister to use his official position of authority to unfairly and unduly influence a contract for a friend, or in this instance, his boss’s son at the expense of the State,” she said.
“This scenario would be further complicated if his actions were sanctioned by the President. This scenario will be investigated further in the next phase of the investigation.”
Madonsela compiled the report before her seven-year non-renewable term ended.
Zuma, Zwane and Co-operative Governance Minister Des Van Rooyen’s concerted bid to seek a court interdict to bar the release of the highly anticipated report failed on Wednesday, with the President making a surprise about-turn and withdrawing his application.
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