#GuptaLeaks: The web of alleged Gupta henchmen spun around Lynne Brown

New information uncovered in the latest #GuptaLeaks allegedly shows how three people close to Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown have links to the controversial Gupta family.

Amabhungane and Scorpio reported on Wednesday that the close net of individuals surrounding Brown – her personal assistant, romantic partner and director-general in the department – has cast doubt on her possible “capture” by the Guptas, who are accused of capturing senior politicians and officials at state-owned entities to grow their business empire.

Kim Davids

According to the investigative report, Brown’s personal assistant Kim Davids is apparently at the centre of concerns about the Guptas’ influence.

It was reported last week by The Times that Davids visited Dubai in 2015, and her hotel bill of R32 000 was settled by the Guptas, but she has denied the allegations. She is reported to be the daughter of a close associate of Brown and worked with her in the Western Cape ANC since 2010.

The personal assistant is said to have “significant sway” over the minister, and it is alleged Brown appointed Davids as a communications director in her department even though her LinkedIn profile suggests she has only a middle-school qualification and not a degree, which is required for the post.

“Davids is also alleged to have enjoyed influence in areas way beyond her formal role.

“An Eskom source said Davids appeared to be more powerful than one would expect from a personal assistant, to the point that she would ‘tackle senior officials’ in meetings, ‘even instructing’ them on occasion,” the report stated.

Ingrid Tufvesson

Brown’s romantic partner, Ingrid Tufvesson, has been in a longstanding relationship with the minister. She is reported to be a former business associate to Davids’ sister and mother.

Tufvesson is a higher education academic and transformation consultant. She is reportedly a director of a company called Sores OMS, which appears to have two connections to the Gupta family.

“The other remaining director in Sores OMS, also appointed on the same day as Tufvesson, is the wife of a Balkan diplomat based in India. The #GuptaLeaks show the diplomat and his wife have been guests of the Gupta family in South Africa, and that the husband sent the wife’s CV to Tony Gupta a few months after,” the report said.

Richard Seleke

The director-general in the department of public enterprises, Richard Seleke, is the former head of the Free State department of economic development, where Mining Minister Mosebenzi Zwane was the MEC until September 2015.

Amabhungane previously reported the #GuptaLeaks showed that Seleke’s CV was emailed to the President Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane Zuma, on June 29, 2015.

Brown has declined to answer questions on allegations she had personally met with members of the Gupta family or their close associates on at least three occasions.

Her spokesperson, Colin Cruywagen, last week said the department had been instructed to assist the Hawks’ probe into the Gupta emails by making documents and officials available to the investigation as required.

“Minister Brown is on record supporting the Hawks’ investigations into allegations of corruption published by media over the past month or two,” he said.

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