We may only truly understand the depth of how captured South Africa was under the reign of Jacob Zuma many, many years down the line, when we are battling back from looting the likes of which we have never seen before.

It’s easy to become despondent, because it seems like almost every government official had their price, which it was met by one of the Guptas.

Amongst the rubble, though, stand the likes of Mcebisi Jonas, who testified last week before the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.

You may be familiar with some of the revelations, but it’s worth revisiting just how much pressure was placed on him to play ball.

Via the City Press, let’s start with the meeting with a Gupta brother, whom he didn’t name, during which he was offered a R600 million bribe at the Saxonworld compound [pictured below]:

This guy came in and just interrupted when we were chatting and he said: “We have been following you, we have been investigating you, we know everything about you.”

He said the old man [Jacob Zuma] seems to like me “and so we called you just to check you out”.

He said: “You must understand that we are in control of everything; we are in control of the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority]; we are in control of the Hawks; we are in control of National Intelligence; so we are in full control and the old man will do everything that we tell him to do. The old man wants to make you the minister of finance.”

So I said: “Unfortunately, I do not want to be minister of finance.”

So, he said: “No, no, no, no, you have to be minister of finance because we want that. “And you will have to work with us and if you work with us you’ll be very rich,” he said.

“And we can immediately offer you R600 million.” He pointed at Duduzane and said: “He has a house now, we built him a house in Dubai.”

Getting out of the Saxonwold house wasn’t very easy:

So, I told him: “Listen, I think I have to go. But let me assure you, I am not interested in working for you.”

And he [Gupta] became a bit emotional and at that point he said: “Listen, do you know who you are dealing with?”

So I stood up and he followed me … and by that time … he was on the verge of punching me in the face … So I stood up and walked. He followed me and [told the others] to sit. He dragged me into a bar and said: “Do you have a bag? I can give you R600 000 now.” I said: “I don’t want money. I don’t want your money. I am leaving now and I am rushing for a plane.”

At the end of the meeting, Mr Gupta repeated that they had information on me and if I suggested that the meeting had occurred, they would kill me.

This video sums up the moment Jonas mentioned that last bit:

The reaction of the lady at the end of the video was hilarious when Mcebisi said Ajay Gupta allegedly threatened to kill him after he declined the finance ministerial job #StateCaptureInquiry #McebisiJonas pic.twitter.com/uIxRxEDmwN

— Lesego Ntoahae (@ComradeKickass) August 24, 2018

Just a death threat between friends, right?

Jonas also outlined how Pravin Gordhan prevented him from resigning, before outlining how the Hawks were determined to bury any investigation into the R600 million bribe:

“I was contacted by Major-General Mnonopi of the Hawks. She initially contacted me in June 2016 … she was investigating complaints that had been laid by Mr [Dennis] Bloem and Mr [David] Maynier … She said she was coming to see me with a prepared statement … I called my attorney, Max Boqwana …

Major-General Mnonopi told me this was a “DA matter” and that … they wanted to kill the case.

She said … the prosecutor believed it could kill the case. “We need your statement as a matter of finality as there is no case. It is necessary for us to close the matter. Your statement must state that you are not a witness for anyone and that you do not want to make a statement as such.”

When you consider how eager the Hawks were to raid the house of Jacques Pauw, you can see exactly whose bidding they were carrying out.

This tweet hits the nail on the head:

In the wake of the allegations against the Hawks, they have made vague promises, with this from Business Day:

Hawks head‚ Lt-Gen Godfrey Lebeya‚ has expressed “serious concern” over allegations that a senior investigator tried to “kill” an investigation into allegations that the Gupta family tried to bribe former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas.

But it remains unclear what action‚ if any‚ will be taken against Maj-Gen Zinhle Mnonopi over the claims against her…

The NPA has declined to comment on the issue‚ but it’s understood that the Hawks and the prosecuting authority intend to meet to discuss the future progress of the so-called “State Capture” cases…

Mnonopi continues to serve in the Hawks.

Of course she does.

Anyway, just remember that Jonas turned down R600 million, and ignored threats made against his life, to prevent South Africa going full Zupta.

[sources:citypress&busday]