Durban: Norma Mngoma, the estranged wife of former minister Malusi Gigaba has rubbished claims of receiving an inheritance from a wealthy lover who lived overseas.
Gigaba told the Zondo Commission of Inquiry in State Capture this week, that his wife’s wealth was inherited from a former fiancée.
However, Mngoma, speaking to the Sunday Tribune, said she has no knowledge of the dead fiancée and that Gigaba was giving false testimony in order to evade answering questions posed to him.
Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo was questioning Gigaba about a BMW 3 series that he allegedly received from the Gupta family.
Gigaba said the BMW did not exist and mentioned that when he met Mngoma, she had a fleet of vehicles which she used to visit him. He said that Mngoma had portrayed herself as a wealthy person who had inherited money and assets from her late father who had been based in New York.
“I think around 2010, 2011, he left her a lot of inheritance that she was stressing about protecting because apparently, the father’s girlfriend wanted a piece of the inheritance. A few other prominent South African business people whose names I request not to mention also apparently wanted a piece of this inheritance,” said Gigaba.
“I was to learn later that this so-called father was in fact her fiancée. All along I had laboured under the understanding that this wealthy father was in New York only to find out later that it was her fiancée who was living in Johannesburg who was well to do.”
Mngoma hit back saying Gigaba was lying.
“Those are his lies of running away from answering questions at the Zondo Commission, trying to paint me as an unreliable witness,” she said.
“He must tell you where that comes from because I don’t know what he is talking about and I don’t want to entertain it. I stick by my testimony that I gave to the commission because it’s the truth.”
When Gigaba appeared before the Zondo Commission last week Thursday, he said Mngoma’s affidavits were based on what she overheard or what she said she saw but there was no real evidence.
“The witness is an extensive liar, she is an accomplished liar, and tries to fabricate issues and put things together in order to make a point which she, unfortunately, cannot substantiate.”
Gigaba has also denied receiving bags of cash from the Gupta family, taking instructions that affected his portfolio and visiting the Gupta mansion.
He said Mngoma wanted to portray him in a particular manner and therefore fabricated all her evidence.
The Sunday Tribune