In October 2010, then-GCIS CEO Themba Maseko received a call from President Zuma telling him to "help the Gupta brothers." Maseko met Ajay Gupta, who demanded GCIS redirect its advertising budget to The New Age. Maseko refused. An angry Ajay Gupta threatened to report him to "his superiors."
In early 2011, Maseko was removed from GCIS. The Zondo Commission heard his removal "was an instruction" from Zuma. Maseko testified: "South Africa now had a parallel system of government."
Manyi was appointed GCIS CEO in 2011. The Zondo Commission found he "cooperated with the Guptas" and was a "facilitator" of state capture. GCIS under Manyi was labelled an "enabler" of corrupt activities. During Manyi's 18-month tenure, TNA was paid R6.3 million by GCIS (2011-2012). Total GCIS payments to TNA exceeded R32 million. Overall GCIS spending on TNA and Infinity Media reached R55 million between 2011-2015.
TNA earned R8.7 million from GCIS in a period when comparable publications received a fraction of that amount. Manyi defended the spending as "implementing government policy" — a defence the Zondo Commission rejected.
The origin story of GCIS capture — Zuma's personal phone call to Maseko demanding he "help" the Guptas — is one of the most damning pieces of evidence of presidential involvement in state capture.