Note: This story will be updated if new information becomes available. Last update: 28 October, 14:51

Disclaimer: There are a lot of rumours going around – we are only sharing information that is in the public domain. At this point, very little is verified other than the fact that the video does not involve Gigaba’s wife.

Malusi Gigaba revealed in a series of Tweets on Sunday that he is being blackmailed with an apparent sex tape. Gigaba said that these threats of extortions have been following him since 2017 and that the treats were being investigated.

He apologised to his family and the South African public and said that he would not be answering any further questions.

How the footage was obtained

According to Gigaba, the video was stolen from his phone, through illegally intercepted / hacking of his communications in either 2016 or 2017. It is not clear if this was immediately reported to authorities or whether Gigaba was even aware that his private information had been compromised at the time.

However, back in 2016, former Minister of Sports & Recreation Fikile Mbalula (an ally of Gigaba) said his Twitter account was hacked after a picture of a scantily clad woman was shared. A Tweet by editor of The Star revealed further details.

Steve Motale had this sex tape last year during WEF Africa.

I was staying with him at Maharani hotel in Durban when a couple and Dudu Myeni came to see Motale about the video.

Gigaba was also in Durban at the time.

That’s when the video was supposed to be leaked. — Mathanda (@MathandaNcube) October 28, 2018

Motale previously worked for the Sunday Independent, but later resigned to join Kenny Kunene’s media company. Kunene, meanwhile, shared the following Tweet, amidst rumours that the leak was all a ploy to distract from the VBS saga. Yes, really.

The truth about @mgigaba video is that he sent it to his wife. That is the only truth. Everything else is gossip n lies. @Julius_S_Malema wasted his money on this one. — Kenny Kunene (@Kenny_T_Kunene) October 28, 2018

Who features in the sex tape

While it’s not been confirmed by the minister himself, a number of local media outlets reported that the video features only Gigaba, in a video apparently meant for his wife, Norma Gigaba. This was confirmed to eNCA by Gigaba’s spokesman on this matter‚ Vuyo Mkhize.

Some clips of the video started appearing on social media on Sunday morning. Social media users reported that it features Gigaba in a sexual act on his own, saying: “Imagine this was in your mouth, oh baby”.

Gigaba’s history with courting scandal

At the time of writing, there is no reason to believe that the two incidents are connected, but Gigaba does have previous.

Towards the end of 2015, Gigaba hit the headlines for his alleged affair with New York based stylist Buhle Mkhize. A local gossip site published steamy details of the alleged affair. He eventually posted, and then deleted, an apology on Instagram, saying:

“I regret exposing my family to such an individual but truly can only blame myself. The defamation has left me no option but to speak out and seek legal remedies to protect my loved ones, we have been subjected to enough stalking and defamation. I place on record that my priorities are serving my country and being a family man.”

Later, in a TV interview, Norma Gigaba accused Buhle of blackmailing her family and demanding money so that they would keep quiet about the affair.

Some social media users speculated that the video was in fact leaked and that there was no hacking involved with the popular “Fake Barry Roux” account alleging the following (link to the Tweet can be found below, the parody account later protected Tweets).

a) No hacking happened

b) That video was leaked by Malusi Gigaba’s side chick

c) Some journalists had this video & they used it in blackmailing Malusi

d) When Malusi knew that the video was leaked he had a mutual agreement with his wife on how to deal with the matter

a) No hacking happened

b) That video was leaked by Malusi Gigaba’s side chick

c) Some journalists had this video & they used it in blackmailing Malusi

d) When Malusi knew that the video was leaked he had a mutual agreement with his wife on how to deal with the matter pic.twitter.com/JvQx7nodEN — Man’s Not Barry Roux  (@AdvBarryRoux) October 28, 2018

And the intelligence service?

Buhle went further, saying that she had already made a deal with SA Intelligence – who reportedly offered her R500 000 to keep quiet. when the deal fell through, the mistress claimed, things got tense.