Experienced a memorable quarter hour on CNBC Africa Power Lunch yesterday
By Alec Hogg
On Monday, Gideon du Plessis, the urban and measured head of trade union Solidarity, came on air to fling a raft of allegations at politically connected entrepreneur Solly Bhana – the man blamed for the Aurora Gold debacle. Among his slings was Bhana had skipped the country after being told to cough up around R30m in loans drawn on the now defunct mining company.
Bhana phoned me after the interview and said it was time he told his side. Which happened yesterday when he joined me in studio with his lawyer/spokesman Frederick Kyle and a now feisty Du Plessis. What followed is worth watching. Not just for students of body language. Certainly one of my most interesting interviews this year. The gents promised to take their fight offline and revert with their solutions. But did so through gritted teeth. Hopefully they action that idea into something positive for the 5 400 who lost their jobs. And clear the smelly air around the well publicised involvement of Khulubuse Zuma and Zondwa Mandela.
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