Themba Maseko tells of Gupta demands, threats

The Gupta family has been accused of giving inappropriate orders to former Government Communications and Information Systems CEO Themba Maseko.

Maseko‚ who first made the claim two years ago‚ repeated it on Wednesday on the sixth day of the inquiry into state capture before deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo.

The former GCIS head implicated then president Jacob Zuma, as well as Ajay Gupta.

“The approach by the Gupta family was inappropriate.

“Firstly‚ making demands on me as a senior official in the Presidency‚” Maseko told the commission.

“[Secondly‚] they made demands and [threatened] me that if I do not do what they ask of me‚ I will be dealt with.

“I found that inappropriate‚ irregular‚ and uncalled for.”

In essence‚ Maseko said, he was asked to break the laws of the land.

In 2016‚ he revealed that he had been approached by the Gupta family in 2010.

He told the commission he had not entertained their requests, but had eventually agreed to meet Ajay, the eldest Gupta brother‚ at the family’s Saxonwold compound, where these demands and threats were made.

The Sunday Times reported that on his way to that meeting‚ Maseko said he had received a phone call from Zuma asking him to assist the Guptas with what they wanted.

Maseko was quoted in a Sunday Times report in 2016 as saying that the Guptas wanted government advertising channelled to the New Age newspaper.

When Maseko refused, Ajay allegedly told him that he would report him to Zuma.

The inquiry continues.