EFF: SACP ministers in Zuma’s Cabinet must ‘come clean’ on Gupta links
Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises Ben Martins' testimony to the portfolio committee on public enterprises has compromised the SACP, says the EFF.
EFF leader Julius Malema is seen on stage before addressing the gathered crowd outside the Israeli embassy in Pretoria, members of the EFF gathered to protest the Israel government and Apartheid against Palestinians, 2 November 2017, Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles
The EFF has called on SACP leaders to urge members who are still ministers in President Jacob Zuma’s Cabinet to be honest about their links to the controversial Gupta family.
Though the SACP has been vocal about its call for Zuma to step down, citing his link to the Gupta family, among other reasons, the EFF has accused some members of the party of being implicit in the alleged corruption.
“The SACP has made calls on several occasions for Zuma to step down following the reality of his compromised corrupt business relationship with the Gupta family.
“However, SACP leaders have not taken into consideration their own complicity, implication and participation as Cabinet members in handing over our country to the Gupta family,” said the EFF.
The statement comes after one of the SACP leaders, Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises Ben Martins, admitted to having met members of the Gupta family to the portfolio committee on public enterprises.
Martins agreed he once met one of the Gupta brothers, together with Sfiso Buthelezi and Lucky Montana, at his house in Pretoria.
He said he called the three men to his house to discuss “an issue relevant to transport”. He said the Prasa officials had complained they were told they would be removed by the Guptas.
“There was an issue with renewal of the board. Lucky Montana and Sfizo Buthelezi wrote me a letter saying they believe the Guptas wanted to remove them. Lucky [Montana] was CEO and Sfiso [Buthelezi] was chairperson.
“I told them nobody will tell me what to do. I made a phone call. In order to resolve this matter, I invited both of them to my house. Subsequently, Sfiso [Buthelezi remained chair and Lucky [Montana] remained the CEO,” he said.
The EFF now believes the SACP is “fully compromised”, and its only redemption would be to call out those who may have links to the Guptas.
“This will help advance the process of bringing the inquiry into state capture to a close sooner than expected and remove Zuma before this family also compromises the only arm of the state left in our democracy: the judiciary.”
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