Van Rooyen must reveal why he was in Dubai with Guptas

10 April 2016

The DA will be raising questions to the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Des van Rooyen, with regards to a trip he made to Dubai with the Gupta family last year- allegedly in his “private” capacity. This is highly suspicious considering the Guptas were in Dubai at the same time (see Sunday Times report). 

Specifically, the DA will, through parliamentary questions, pursue attaining clarity on:

Whether he met with the Guptas or any other Gupta-affiliated persons;

Whether President Jacob Zuma had prior knowledge of this trip and whether he approved and signed off on such a trip;

Whether Minister van Rooyen received a brief from the President ahead of his trip

Whether or not any state funds were used for this trip;

Whether any official meetings were held while on this trip;

Whether any officials accompanied him on this trip; and

Whether Minister van Rooyen used his diplomatic or official passport for travel purposes. 

The Rules of the National Assembly (NA) demand that the Minister respond to written questions fully and accurately; failure to do so would constitute a breach of the NA rules to which all Ministers are enjoined. 

This comes after it was reported that Minister van Rooyen was in Dubai at the same time the Guptas were on a trip to Dubai in December last year, less than two weeks after his ill-fated appointment as Finance Minister, a post he held for four days.

Minister van Rooyen’s appointment is already under a dark cloud of suspicion. This is attributable to allegations that the Guptas played a hand in his appointment as Minister which would be highly problematic. This would lend further credence to the fact that the Gupta brothers have been unduly influencing government through various business deals and ministerial appointments.  

It cannot be that Cabinet Ministers are effectively allowed to serve at the behest of the Gupta brothers to advance their personal self-interest while the people of South Africa suffer every day without the basic services that they so desperately need. This should be Minister van Rooyen’s priority and the DA will do all it can to get the full truth in this matter.  

Statement issued by Kevin Mileham MP, DA Shadow Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, 10 April 2016