Johannesburg - Nomachule (Norma) Mngoma, the estranged wife of former Cabinet minister Malusi Gigaba, is expected to testify at the Zondo commission on Friday.
Mngoma, who recently changed her surname back to her maiden name, will finally have her say at the inquiry following public promises that she was willing to appear. The commission confirmed the news on Thursday.
Gigaba plans to apply to the inquiry to cross-examine Mngoma and to ask the commission not to make her evidence public.
Mngoma's evidence is expected to focus on Gupta-related matters. She was married to Gigaba while he served in key ministerial positions – as minister of public enterprises and as minister of finance.
Mngoma took to broadcasting her views on her estranged husband in December with a television interview with eNCA.
She alleged that Gigaba would frequently visit the Gupta family's infamous Saxonwold compound when he served as minister of public enterprises.
She said Gigaba would receive cash gifts from the Gupta family in exchange for government-related favours.
Mngoma said she had been to the Gupta residence with Gigaba but she was never present during the meetings.
“We would visit and sometimes we’d get gifts, I didn't know what for,” she said.
Mngoma and Gigaba have started divorce proceedings. Their separation played out in the courts when the Hawks arrested Mngoma in July.
She was accused of damaging a R3 million Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon. Her gadgets were confiscated during the arrest and she believed that information, linked to Gigaba, was deleted from her devices.
The High Court ruled in February that her arrest was illegal and an abuse of power.
Mngoma plans to sue the Hawks for the illegal arrest.
Following the ruling, in March the National Prosecuting Authority provisionally withdrew the charges because of the High Court ruling.
zintle.mahlati@inl.co.za
Political Bureau