Wed, 17 Jul 2019

Former president Jacob Zuma is expected to appear in front of the judicial commission of inquiry into state capture on Monday. During his tenure as head of state between 2009 and 2018 crucial state institutions and state-owned companies were reconfigured to serve the capture project. There are thousands of questions he needs to answer, but these 101 queries will help us understand Zuma and capture in his own words.

1. When, where and under what circumstances did you meet the Gupta family for the first time?

2. Please detail your relationship with the Gupta family in general and every single member of the family individually?

3. Why did you invite Pravin Gordhan to a meeting with Ajay Gupta at Mahlamba'Ndlopfu as detailed in his testimony?

4. What was your expectation of the meeting and what did you expect your finance minister to do for the family?

5. What was your reasoning in appointing Tom Moyane as commissioner of the South African Revenue Services?

6. What are the details of your relationship with Moyane? Please elaborate on your history during the exile years?

7. Were you concerned about the reputation of SARS when the first reports of the so-called rogue unit were published in October 2014?

8. Did you enquire from Moyane why there was an exodus of senior SARS executives after October 2014?

9. What was the function of SARS according to your estimation and did you ever interfere in the operations of the institution?

10. Did you at any time instruct Moyane how he should manage the institution, or how he should reorganise or restructure SARS, including the High-Risk Investigations Unit (HRIU)?

11. Were you ever aware of the HRIU or its predecessors, the Special Projects Unit and the National Research Group?

12. What was the status of your tax compliance (a) before (b) during and (c) after your presidency?

13. Have you ever been in consultation with SARS about your tax affairs? Please explain the purpose of then-acting commissioner of SARS Ivan Pillay coming to your office in 2010?

14. Did you ever attempt to intervene in the tax affairs of your son, Edward, who was involved in the tobacco industry that was being investigated by SARS at the time?

15. Were you aware of SARS' investigation into Edward's tobacco company and did you attempt to intervene in the investigation?

16. Did you ever attempt to intervene in the tax affair of some of your wives whose business interests were flagged as risky by SARS?

17. Did you ever meet with organised crime members in Cape Town when they allegedly reached out to you via Marius Fransman to discuss their tax complaints?

18. Did you try to help your nephew, Khulubuse Zuma, when he was accused of tax evasion and money laundering after the collapse of the Aurora mine?

19. Do you believe a SARS investigative unit bugged your private home in Forest Town, Johannesburg?

20. Were you notified of the suspension of the SARS executive after the publication of the Sunday Times' story with the headline "SARS bugged Zuma" and did you approve?

21. Were you involved, did you make any recommendations or approve the suspension of former Hawks head Anwa Dramat?

22. Were you involved, did you make any recommendations or approve the suspension of the former head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, Robert McBride?

23. Did you instruct, via Luthuli House, or any other party-political body or state institution that parliament's standing committee on finance should decline to investigate events at SARS?

24. Are you aware of a SARS case file containing documents, files, financial statements and other documents relating to your and the tax affairs of your associates, including your family and the Guptas?

25. Did you lie when you offered then-finance minister Nhlanhla Nene the position of country manager for the mooted BRICS development bank on December 9, 2015?

26. Was Nene's replacement, Desmond van Rooyen, your pick to replace Nene or was your decision discussed with or influenced by the Gupta family?

27. Why did you decide to replace Pravin Gordhan with Nene after the 2014 national elections?

28. Did you believe that National Treasury was obstructive and that it resisted the government's developmental agenda?

29. Were you unhappy with Nene's stewardship of the economy? And if so, what are the particulars of his department's fiscal policies that concerned you?

30. Were you aware of attempts by corrupt or rent-seeking groupings to "capture" or gain access to state-owned companies like Transnet, Eskom, SAA and Prasa?

31. What was your reasoning why South Africa had to procure 9.6MW of nuclear power from foreign vendors?

32. Did you have preference for a company to provide South Africa with nuclear power?

33. What was your relationship with Russian nuclear energy company Rosatom and President Vladimir Putin?

34. Did you commit South Africa to procure nuclear power stations from Rosatom and Russia, and did you give any undertaking, explicit or implicit, to Rosatom or Putin?

35. Why did you insist on Nene agreeing to and signing a memorandum of understanding with Russia during a meeting of BRICS nations in 2015?

36. What did Nene advise you when he refused to sign the document on two occasions and what was your response?

37. Were you aware of your son Duduzane's alleged invitation to former deputy minister of finance Mcebisi Jonas to visit the Guptas' Saxonwold home?

38. Were you aware of Ajay Gupta's alleged offer to Jonas that he can become minister of finance if he is willing to work with the family?

39. Did you support the chairperson of the SAA board Dudu Myeni's decision to procure Airbus passenger airplanes for the airline?

40. Did you call Gordhan shortly after he replaced Van Rooyen as finance minister and ask him to assist Myeni in finalising her deal with Airbus?

41. What was the purpose of the meeting of the National Nuclear Energy Co-ordinating Committee on December 8, 2015, the day before Nene was dismissed?

42. What process did you follow in deciding to appoint Van Rooyen as finance minister? Who did you consult and did this include any member of the Gupta family?

43. Why did you decide to replace Van Rooyen with Gordhan on December 13, 2015, and why was he your preferred candidate?

44. What convinced you, after four days, to replace Van Rooyen with Gordhan? Why did you decide to make another change at Treasury? Did you consider the destabilising effect on the economy?

45. Did you instruct Mosebenzi Zwane to investigate the closure of the Guptas' Oakbay bank accounts in the form of an interministerial committee?

46. Why did you refuse to answer questions from then-Public Protector Thuli Madonsela on October 6, 2016, when she interviewed you in connection with allegations of state capture?

47. Why did you agree to a follow-up meeting with Madonsela, but then cancelled it days before she was to leave office?

48. Did you ever visit the Guptas at their Saxonwold, Johannesburg, home? And how often as head of state?

49. Were you aware of Duduzane's appointment as a director in the Guptas' companies and were you aware that he stayed with them?

50. In July 2008, your twins, Duduzane and Duduzile Zuma, were appointed to the board of Sahara Computers. Did you play any role in their appointment?

51. Why did you fire Gordhan as finance minister and Jonas as his deputy on March 30, 2017? And why did you replace them with Malusi Gigaba and Sfiso Buthelezi?

52. Did you believe that Gordhan was part of a Western plot to effect regime change in South Africa and did you rely on an intelligence report to dismiss him?

53. When did you decide to remove Gordhan and Jonas and who did you discuss your Cabinet reshuffle with? Did you speak to the Guptas about the matter?

54. The business interests of your children, wives and family members increased exponentially after your election as ANC president in 2007 and your appointment as president of South Africa in 2009. Did you and your family take advantage of your political office to make money?

55. Your son, Duduzane, says you introduced him to the Guptas with whom he found employment in 2001 and became one of their major business partners. What were the circumstances surrounding the introduction?

56. Was Duduzane's shareholding in a number of Gupta-linked companies the conduit for money to the Zuma family?

57. Do you have any bank accounts outside of South Africa, including in Dubai or India? What is the purpose of these accounts?

58. Why did the Guptas pay for Duduzane's wedding at Zimbali Lodge?

59. We know from the Schabir Shaik trial that you received payments from businesspeople like Nora Fakude-Nkuna, Vivian Reddy, Jurgen Kögl and Shaik. Please provide us with a list of all the businesspeople from whom you have received payments since becoming ANC president in 2007.

60. Why did you receive R1m per month for four months in 2009 from Durban security boss Roy Moodley, as revealed by Jacques Pauw in ?

61. Why did businesswoman Sizani Dubazana pay for you to live in a luxury house in Forest Town, Johannesburg, after you were fired as deputy president?

62. What was your role in the setting up of The New Age newspaper and ANN7 news channel?

63. Why did you pressurise Themba Maseko, the former head of the GCIS, in a phone call to help the Guptas and spend money with their newspaper?

64. The National Intelligence Agency warned you about the influence of the Guptas in the affairs of the state after being tipped off by the CIA. Why did you choose to ignore the agency's advice?

65. What was your role in the landing of a commercial aircraft at Waterkloof air force base in 2013 for the Guptas' Sun City wedding?

66. Why did you appoint Bruce Koloane to become South Africa's ambassador to the Netherlands after he admitted to abusing your name for the landing of the plane?

67. Please detail each visit to Putin and the purpose of each visit.

68. Is it true that Putin provided you with medical care in 2014 after you were allegedly poisoned by one of your wives? Why did you go to Putin for medical care?

69. Why did former intelligence minister David Mahlobo accompany you on this visit to Russia in August 2014 to allegedly receive medical treatment at Putin's residence? Did you discuss the nuclear transaction with Putin during this visit?

70. Why did you appoint General Berning Ntlemeza to head up the Hawks? Why was he the best candidate?

71. Why did you appoint advocate Shaun Abrahams to head up the National Prosecuting Authority? Why was he the best candidate?

72. What is your relationship with Maria Gomes, the Angolan businesswoman who benefited richly from Prasa's R3.5bn locomotive tender?

73. Why did you expunge the criminal record of Booker Washington Nhantsi, a fraudster, in 2010? Was this linked to the fact that Nhantsi was married to advocate Nomgcobo Jiba, the acting head of the NPA who had to make decisions about cases involving you?

74. What is your relationship with General Richard Mdluli? Why did Mdluli tell you before the 2012 ANC conference that he would help you succeed?

75. Did you have any role to play in the suspension of General Anwa Dramat and was this linked to his investigation into the Nkandla upgrades?

76. Did the Guptas introduce you to Jet Airways in India during a state visit in 2010 and did you give them an undertaking that SAA would withdraw its Johannesburg to Mumbai route (which then materialised)?

77. Did you speak to Vytjie Mentor at the Gupta household in 2010 and told her "it's okay" that she declined to accept the ministerial position of public enterprises from the Guptas?

78. Were you ever given cash at the Gupta compound in Saxonwold?

79. Did you have a discussion with the Guptas about the appointment of ministers to your Cabinet? Please detail all these discussions.

80. Why did you remove former public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan from your Cabinet in 2010 and replace her with Malusi Gigaba?

81. When you announced in February 2012 during your State of the Nation Address that Transnet would spend R300bn on capital projects, did you know that the Guptas would benefit from these projects?

82. What is your relationship with Dudu Myeni and what is your response to reports that you are romantically involved and have a child with her?

83. Did you have a hand in the appointment of Daniel Mantsha, your current attorney, as chairperson of Denel in 2015? Were you aware Mantsha's relationship with the Guptas and that they were paying his municipal bills?

84. What is your relationship with Ben Ngubane, including family relations, and did you have a role to play in his appointment as chairperson of the SABC and later Eskom?

85. What is your relationship with Brian Molefe, and did you have a role to play in his appointment at Transnet and later Eskom?

86. Why did you fire former minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi in 2017?

87. Ramatlhodi says you fired him for refusing to assist the Guptas in acquiring the Optimum coal mine. Is this true?

88. Where did you meet Mosebenzi Zwane for the first time and why did you decide to appoint him as minister of mineral resources in 2015? Why was he suitably qualified for the job?

89. Did your son, Duduzane, have any role to play in your appointment of Zwane? Why did Duduzane receive Zwane's CV via email three weeks before his appointment?

90. Do you think it was proper for Zwane to interfere in the purchase of Optimum by Tegeta Exploration and Resources - a company of which Duduzane owned 28.5%?

91. What is your relationship with Hlaudi Motsoeneng? Where did you meet him and why did you back him as SABC chief operating officer while the corporation was bleeding money?

92. What is your relationship with Thulani Dlomo and why did you appoint him as ambassador to Japan after he was under investigation for running an unauthorised unit for you in the State Security Agency?

93. Did you authorise the establishment of the Special Operations Unit in the SSA? Why did you condone the establishment of an illegally constituted intelligence unit?

94. Did you brief Bell Pottinger in London to help Duduzane clean up his image?

95. Did you have any meetings with employees of Bell Pottinger or were you aware of meetings with Duduzane and the Guptas about devising a new campaign about "economic apartheid" to take the blame away from your governance failures?

96. Did you approve the "white monopoly capital" campaign engineered by Bell Pottinger?

97. Why did you appoint Arthur Fraser as the director-general of the State Security Agency?

98. Were you aware that Bosasa paid R300 000 per month to the Jacob Zuma Foundation?

99. Why did your foundation accept money from a company deeply implicated in state capture?

101. Why did you allow Bosasa and its CEO, Gavin Watson, to pay for your 72nd birthday party when you knew the company was deeply implicated in state capture?

102. Did you "mislead, lie, manipulate and abuse" the state in favour of capture, as Gordhan told the judicial commission of inquiry into state capture?

- Basson and Du Toit are the authors of (Jonathan Ball Publishers, 2017).

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