Lamborghini
News agency Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has compiled an enviable list of Gupta assets, which they want the state to sell to recoup billions allegedly looted from the state through their close relationship with former president Jacob Zuma.
Outa examined the large trove of leaked files in the Gupta Leaks emails. They found that the once politically connected family had bought brands such as “Lamborghini, Maserati, Bentley, Porsche and Lexus” as part of their luxury fleet. These were just “some of the luxury brand names of more than 20 vehicles” registered to their Johannesburg address.
The family and those connected to them, including Zuma’s son Duduzane, are facing intense legal scrutiny and prosecution.
Brothers Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta have allegedly fled the country along with Duduzane. The National Prosecuting Authority has moved to freeze Gupta assets in South Africa.
Outa also pointed out that the Guptas’ vehicles were registered to pay e-tolls, something that no doubt only annoyed the civil society group all the more, as it was originally founded to oppose the taxing of freeway travel through e-tolls in Gauteng.
Outa also found that the Guptas own “planes, helicopters, a plethora of properties, media businesses, another 80 cars at other addresses and mining companies”.
Their Optimum Coal Mine in Mpumalanga is facing labour unrest in the wake of concerns that they will not be able to meet their supply obligations to Eskom and also be unable to pay staff. Workers have downed tools and the mine stands to lose its licence due to, among other things, not supplying water as agreed to the town of Hendrina.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.