Mantashe ‘begged’ the EFF to help stop Zuma’s nuclear deal: report
EFF leader Julius Malema has alleged, under oath, that ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe pleaded with his party to include the scuppering of the Gupta-linked nuclear deal in its terms of coalition with the ANC, following the August local elections, the City Press reports.
According to the paper, Malema made the allegation during a recorded interview with former Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, as part of her investigation into state capture.
Malema said that ahead of negotiations with the wider ANC, three EFF officials first met with Mantashe, alone. It was during this meeting that Mantashe allegedly pleaded with the party to include the nuclear deal as part of its conditions.
When asked why, Mantashe said it was because the nuclear plans would collapse the country.
Mantashe has denied Malema’s claims, the City Press reported.
South Africa’s nuclear plans have come under a lot of scrutiny, with much of the process and costs involved being kept hidden from the public. To date, no official cost for the plans has been presented by government – however, experts put conservative estimates at R1 trillion.
Concerns have also been raised about the Gupta family’s involvement, and deals around the family’s Shiva uranium mine, which would become one of the key suppliers to the running of the reactors.
Simply put, the Gupta family, and the Zuma family – through the president’s son, Duduzane, who is a very close business associate of the family’s – stand to make a lot of money from the nuclear deal.
According to the recordings, Malema claims that Mantashe asked him to not mention his name when he spoke of the discussions; however, Malema said he was now under oath, and could only tell the truth.
You can read the full story in The City Press for 13 November 2016
Read: Eskom will finance South Africa’s R1 trillion nuclear plans: minister
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