ANC wants to divert attention from the Gupta scandal

24 March 2016

Cyril Ramaphosa, the Deputy President of the ANC, is claiming that it is not only the Gupta family that is attempting to capture the ANC government, but many other people in business also. Edward Zuma, likewise, has alleged that many ANC leaders are meeting in dark corners with their "Stellenbosch masters" to advance their own personal enrichment goals. ANCWL President Bathabile Dlamini reminded ANC NEC members that, “All of us there in the NEC have our smaller skeletons and we don’t want to take out all skeletons out because hell will break loose.”

We will not argue with all of them. There is an enormous amount of dirt that has been hidden and all ANC leaders are aware of that. Even so, our attention should not be diverted from disclosures within the ANC of the corrupt relationship between Mr Zuma and the Guptas.

All of us know very well that at present many senior ANC members are pointing fingers at only one family, namely the Guptas. Vytjie Mentor told the country that she was offered a ministerial position by the Guptas and that Mr Zuma was in the same house when that happened. A few days later, Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas also told the country that the Guptas had offered him the position of Minister of Finance. Then, on Sunday, more shocking revelations came from Themba Maseko, a former senior aide to Mr Zuma. He told the country that Mr Zuma had personally asked him, in a telephone call, to help the Guptas. He disclosed that the Guptas had revealed to him that they were having weekly meetings with Mr Zuma. Here is where the deepest rot lies!

The ANC must not undermine the intelligence of South African citizens. It is clear that the party is developing a plan to cover up the Gupta scandal. Thus far no other business family or personalities have been directly implicated in state capture by any senior member of the ANC. Ben Martins is about to reveal what he knows about the Gupta involvement in our national politics. Therefore, the focus has to remain sharply on the Zuma-Gupta relationship.

Congress of the People is encouraged that senior members of the ANC, such as Denis Goldberg and Frene Ginwala are expressing their disgust and concern at the blatant acts of corruption occurring in the Zuma Administration.

COPE challenges the ANC to reveal business people who are trying to capture the party and through the party, the state. Every bit or wrong doing must be exposed.

Issued by Dennis Bloem, COPE Spokesperson, 24 Mach 2016