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Gupta-owned media firms scored R260m from state, Jan Gilliland tells inquiry

The Treasury official says he has tracked payments made to the media firms through the accounting system used by national and provincial government departments

Jan Gilliland from National Treasury  at the state capture inquiry were he is giving evidence about some of the payments that were made to Gupta owned companies.
Picture: MASI LOSI
Jan Gilliland from National Treasury at the state capture inquiry were he is giving evidence about some of the payments that were made to Gupta owned companies. Picture: MASI LOSI

About R260m was paid to Gupta-owned media companies by the government, the state capture inquiry heard on Monday.

Treasury official Jan Gilliland was giving expert testimony at the commission, as part of the "story" regarding the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS).

Evidence leader Vincent Maleka said there were three parts to the GCIS story. The first part was told through former head Themba Maseko and the second through current government spokesperson Phumla Williams.


Click here for the latest news and analysis of the state capture inquiry

Maseko had testified about how Ajay Gupta had instructed him to ensure that GCIS’s R600m budget went to the family's media companies.

Gilliland said that after receiving information from the commission, he tracked payments made to the media companies through the basic accounting system (BAS) used by national and provincial government departments.

Gilliland said the system found 11 bank accounts linked to The New Age and Infinity Media.

He went through each bank account and the total payment received.

Infinity Media received 5% the total payments amounting to R12m, while TNA received 95% of the payments totalling R248m.

quintalg@businesslive.co.za


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