South Africa’s former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas has alleged that controversial businessman Ajay Gupta threatened to kill him if he ever disclosed that he offered him 600m rand ($44.6m; £36.2m) at a meeting in 2015 in exchange for him taking the post of finance minister and advancing the Gupta family’s business interests, local media reports.

Mr Jonas made the disclosure while giving evidence at a judge-led inquiry into “state capture”, a reference to the alleged undue influence the family wielded in then-President Jacob Zuma’s scandal-hit government.

Mr Gupta has previously denied that the meeting took place at his mansion in an upmarket suburb in South Africa’s main city, Johannesburg.

Mr Zuma’s son, Duduzane, was a close business partner of the Gupta family, and was alleged to have been present at the meeting. He has denied any wrongdoing.