The testimony of former finance minister Malusi Gigaba at the state capture inquiry on Thursday has seen him and his estranged wife Nomachule “Norma” Mngoma criticised for “using the commission to air their dirty marital laundry”.

The former minister lashed out at Mngoma, who earlier made several scathing allegations against him regarding his alleged close relations with the corruption-accused Gupta family.

Gigaba alleged before the inquiry on Thursday evening that Mngoma was an “accomplished liar” who was allegedly using the commission to pressure him into succumbing to her divorce settlement demands.

Gigaba also blamed Mngoma for her explosive interview with eNCA, saying she drew the attention of the commission. 

The former minister alleged Mngoma approached him with three demands in January because she did not want to walk away “without anything”.  He said the couple were married with a prenuptial contract without accrual.

One alleged demand was that the minister must withdraw a charge against Mngoma, in which she was accused of damaging a vehicle lent to Gigaba by a friend.

Gigaba further accused Mngoma of projecting herself as a “high-flying individual who was from a well-to-do family” and an IT executive, among other things.

“She told me that her father was a businessman living in New York City, that she regularly visited New York and would on occasion win awards from Mark Shuttleworth that would require her to go do some work in New York,” the former minister alleged. 

Gigaba said Mngoma drove luxury vehicles that she allegedly claimed were hers.

“I knew her to be this high-flying IT executive who had worked at various well-paying IT companies,” he said.

Social media was filled with reaction to the testimony, with many questioning Gigaba's claims and mocking him.