Former Zuma adviser and Hawks official to cross-question Mentor at Zondo commission 

Former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor will return to the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture on Tuesday for a question and answer session.

It will be day two of her cross-examination at the inquiry, looking into claims that members of the controversial Gupta family used their close relationship with former president Jacob Zuma to capture the state and loot billions from South Africa.

Legal counsel for two people are expected to cross-examine Mentor. Zuma’s former adviser Lakela Kaunda, and Hawks official Mandla Mtolo, had applied to quiz the former parliamentarian.

Mentor had claimed Kaunda was the person who called to set up her meeting with Zuma, which turned out to be one with the Gupta brothers. Mentor also accused Mtolo of once telling her that a case she opened against the controversial family and Zuma would not be investigated, unless she removed the former president’s name.

ICYMI: 

State capture inquiry: Mentor insists flight details are accurate despite discrepancies 

Former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor remains adamant that she caught an SAA flight to Johannesburg and back to Cape Town on a Monday sometime between September and October in 2010.

This is despite records before the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture reflecting that she caught a return flight to Gauteng via SAA on Friday, October 15. 

Mentor is being cross-examined at the commission following her testimony in August 2018. She posted on her Facebook account that she had been offered the position of public enterprises minister by the Gupta brothers if she stopped SAA’s direct flights to India.

ICYMI: 

Guptas want their own video of in loco inspection shown at state capture commission

The Guptas, through their legal representatives, have told the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture that they want their own video of an inspection of the family’s Saxonwold home to be submitted as evidence.

Former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor is back for cross-examination at the commission after giving testimony in August 2018. 

Before evidence leader Mahlape Sello managed to delve into Mentor’s testimony, Mike Hellens, SC, acting on behalf of the Guptas, made the request.

“The credibility of Ms Mentor is brought sharply into focus in the in loco inspection,” Hellens told Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo on Monday.

Three tapes exist: One shot by Mentor and her lawyers; a second by the commission, and a third by the Gupta family’s representatives. 

ICYMI: 

Vytjie Mentor finds support as she prepares for Zondo commission cross-examination 

Former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor has found support as she prepares to return to the Zondo commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture on Monday.

According to a statement by the commission, Mentor will return to the witness stand to complete her evidence and be cross-examined by those who were granted leave to do so.

Duduzane Zuma, son of former president Jacob Zuma, as well as businessman Fana Hlongwane will cross-examine Mentor. 

She appeared to be tired from all the preparation, posting a photo of herself on Facebook on Sunday with the caption: “Taking a little break from scouring through documents”.

One wrote: “Vytjie remember millions of people who love you for your bravery. Stand firm girl and know South Africans have your back. Brave girl.”

ICYMI: 

State capture inquiry conducts ‘in loco’ inspection at Gupta compound – report 

Investigators and evidence leaders for the Zondo commission into state capture are at the Gupta compound in Saxonwold with former ANC MP Vytijie Mentor to carry out an on-site inspection, according to Business Day. 

According to the report, lawyers for the Gupta family and the inquiry arrived at the property just before 09:00 to conduct an “in loco” inspection. The inspection, which is being videotaped for the commission, is closed to the media. 

It is being conducted after Ajay Gupta claimed Mentor fabricated her evidence and incorrectly described the layout, interior and exterior of the property. 

During her testimony in August, Mentor gave extensive details of the décor inside the house and elicited some quips from the audience when she said she was offered “Indian curry and chai tea”, which she did not enjoy but accepted as a courtesy, News24 reported. 

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#StateCaptureInquiry: Vytjie Mentor does an about-turn on Fana Hlongwane 

Former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor has admitted that she may have incorrectly identified a man she was introduced to by Duduzane Zuma as Fana Hlongwane during her testimony at the Zondo commission into state capture.

In a letter sent by law firm Webber Wentzel to the commission, chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, Mentor states that after having given testimony, she decided to view images of Fana Hlongwane on the internet.

She states that after reflecting on the images she had come to realise that they were “not of the person [she] was introduced to by Mr Duduzane Zuma on the Emirates flight as ‘Chairman'”.  

In August Mentor testified to the commission that Transnet had booked her a first-class ticket to China on Emirates via Dubai. 

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#StateCaptureInquiry: Mentor breaks down over fears for her safety 

Former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor broke down at the end of day five of the inquiry into state capture, telling the commission she feared for her safety at the hotel where she is currently staying.

“I don’t want to sound alarmist,” Mentor told chairperson of the commission Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo as broke down in tears.

She said two nights ago when she went to sleep she discovered that the latch of her hotel room door was not working.

“I had stayed in that room ever since I have been coming for business of the commission,” she said, adding that “the commission has gone out of the way to make me comfortable in terms of my condition that I discussed with them.”

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#StateCaptureInquiry: Mentor describes her encounter with Zuma at Gupta’s Saxonwold home 

Former president Jacob Zuma did not address the issue of the Guptas offering former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor a ministerial job, but instead tried to calm her down, the commission of inquiry into state capture heard on Tuesday.

Mentor continued with her testimony on day five of the inquiry headed by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. She said that Zuma was more interested in her regaining her composure than in the fact that the Guptas had offered her a Cabinet post. 

She detailed her encounter with Zuma at the Gupta compound in Saxonwold in 2010, weeks ahead of a reshuffle in which public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan was fired.

Mentor told the commission that Zuma had walked in while she was in an altercation with the eldest of the Gupta brothers, Ajay, after she rejected the offer of a Cabinet position in exchange for dropping the SAA Johannesburg-Mumbai route in favour of Gupta airline JetAirways.