JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa’s Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene told a judicial inquiry on Wednesday that he met several times with members of the Gupta family, friends of former president Jacob Zuma who are accused of corruption.

Nene is a pivotal figure in an investigation into the three Indian-born Gupta brothers, who built a business empire during Zuma’s nine-year tenure only to see it disintegrate as the scandal-plagued leader was forced out by his own party in February.

Nene told the inquiry Zuma sacked him from his cabinet in December 2015 for refusing to approve deals that would financially benefit the Guptas. Zuma and the Gupta family have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.