‘Explosive email evidence shows how Guptas run SA’
Three state ministers have been labelled as having strong ties to the Guptas, with one being approved by them before his appointment to his Cabinet post.
Nazeem Howa and Atul Gupta. Picture: Gallo Images
As President Jacob Zuma faced another vote of no confidence at an ANC NEC meeting yesterday, tabled by stalwart Joel Netshizenze, new evidence implicating the ANC’s leader has been exposed.
The Sunday Times has revealed how the powerful Guptas family have exercised control over the government, politicians, heads of state entities and boards through an intricate web involving Zuma at the centre. The weekly has obtain exclusive emails that detail how Zuma was using the Gupta family to orchestrate residency and a move to the United Arab Emirates.
The emails show how the Guptas had to first approve of Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane before his official appointment to the Cabinet – they were sent his CV, paid for Des van Rooyen’s flight to Dubai, as well as for former Eskom CEO Koko Matshela’s stay at a luxury hotel in Dubai, coached Zwane to respond to media queries and press conferences and wrote notes for the ANC Youth League’s leader, Collen Maine, before a press briefing.
The correspondence also reveals how an SAA board member wanted to change state entities and sit on the board of Transnet with the influence of the Guptas, while a director of Denel, Dan Mantsha used the services of a chauffeur arranged by the Guptas to get around Dubai.
In a bid to secure a second home for himself and his family, Zuma sent two letters that were circulated by Tony Gupta and the president’s son Duduzane to high-level Emirates officials. One letter reads: “It is with sentiment that I am happy to inform you that my family has decided to make the UAE a second home. It will be a great honour for me and my family to gain patronage during our proposed residency in the UAE.”
In an unplanned trip, Zuma then met Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The presidency confirmed this stopover was not on the official state itinerary.
In a similar story, City Press reported that an email trail between the controversial Gupta family and their employees had blown the lid off how they managed to do business with government, ingratiate themselves with senior officials, and go so far as to help move Zuma and his family to Dubai.
The emails, obtained by City Press this week, also revealed how the Guptas seduced many senior government role players in their bid to capture departments and state-owned entities (SOEs), it said.
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