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The Minster of Mineral Resources, Mosebenzi Zwane, has decided to defy President Jacob Zuma by claiming that he was not acting in his personal capacity when he released a statement calling for the establishment of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the termination of financial services to Oakbay Investments (Pty) Ltd.

Replying to a parliamentary question, the Minister clearly demonstrates his defiance by claiming that when he issued his 01 September 2016 “midnight statement” he “was not speaking in his personal capacity but in his capacity as Chairperson of the IMC”.

This directly contradicts the public repudiation by the Presidency, issued within 24 hours of the Minster’s shocking statement, which stated:

“The statement issued by the Minister of Mineral Resources, Mr Mosebenzi Zwane yesterday on 1 September 2016, on the work of the task team, was issued in his personal capacity and not on behalf of the task team or Cabinet.”

The Minister is not backing down, and seems to be determined to please his primary clients, the Guptas, by persuading President Jacob Zuma to establish a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the termination of financial services to Oakbay Investments (Pty) Ltd.

I have written to President Jacob Zuma calling on him to act decisively and fire the Minister of Mineral Resources, Mosebenzi Zwane, who behaves less like a minister and more like a “hired gun” for the Guptas.

What this shows in the end is that Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was right: “government is at war with itself”.

Issued by DA