South Africa’s Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula on Thursday refused to answer questions on whether the wealthy and influential Gupta family offered him his position before President Jacob Zuma appointed him, but quickly added that the country was not run by the family.
“I’m not going to answer that question. We are not governed by Guptas. We are not run by Guptas,” Mbalula said during a media briefing on Fifa’s allegations that South Africa paid a $10 million in exchange for votes to secure the rights to host the 2010 World Cup.
Pressed by journalists, Mbalula insisted he did not owe anyone any explanations.
Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema had previously claimed in Parliament that he was with Mbalula when he received a phone call from the Guptas offering him his current position.
“I’m very sorry. I am not going to entertain any aspersions that are based on fiction,” visibly angry Mbalula said.
“The onus is on someone who makes such allegations to prove them. I do not dance to music I never composed. I compose my own music.”
Mbalula said he was appointed by Zuma and seconded by the ANC to serve in his current position.
Pressure has been mounting on those holding top government posts to disclose whether the Guptas had any influence on their appointments.
This follows the admission by Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas on Wednesday that the Guptas offered him then Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene’s job.
– African News Agency (ANA)
