Former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas and former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor will be part of the witnesses called at the first hearings of the Zondo commission into state capture.
This means that the first evidence the commission will receive is about the influence of the controversial Gupta family on the appointment of ministers and boards to state-owned entities, in former president Jacob Zuma’s cabinet and administration.
The commission was established by Zuma, and will be headed up by deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo.
The commission, which starts on Monday, will look into the malfeasance in which high-profile politicians including Zuma, have been directly or indirectly implicated, according to a report by former public protector Thuli Madonsela.
In a public statement released by the Treasury in March 2016, Jonas said Ajay Gupta had offered him a job as finance minister to replace Nhlanhla Nene.