DA lays criminal charges against companies, officials in fake Gupta-linked BEE certificates scandal
27 September 2019
Today the Democratic Alliance (DA) laid criminal charges against various companies and individuals who have been implicated in the awarding of fake BEE certificates to Gupta-linked companies. These charges follows the explosive findings by the BBBEE Commission that Gupta aligned companies used fraudulent BEE certificates to secure contracts and payments from Eskom. The 18-month in-depth investigation by the Commission is another window into the murky, abusive and corrupt world of State Capture by Gupta companies, pliable Eskom officials, high-ranking politicians and the side-line enablers in the corporate sector to give a veneer of legitimacy to their smoke and mirror dealings.
The DA laid criminal charges against the following:
Tegetta, Optimum and Trillian for misrepresentation of their BEE status and for providing false information to Eskom in terms of Section 130 of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act;
Anoj Singh, Prish Govender, Edwin Mabelane and A. Nteta who were aware of the value of the contracts to Trillian, Tegetta and Optimum, who failed to report misrepresentation to the Commission in terms of Section 130 (2) of the Act;
Perjury charges against Tebogo Leballo, who on behalf of Trillian, lied under oath in deposing and affidavit claiming Trillian as an Exempted Micro Enterprise; and,
The laying of charges against Simone Mitchell in terms of Section 130 of the Act for misrepresentation of Tegetta and Optimum’s BEE status. The DA will also lay complaints with the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA) and South African Institute for Chartered Accountants.
The DA will also lay complaints with the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA) and South African Institute for Chartered Accountants.
The BBBEE Commission is yet another nail in the coffin of the Gupta empire and a piece of the puzzle in State Capture. It is also a reminder of how the policy of BEE has been abused by the elite and politically connected to lock out competition, inflate costs and entrench patronage networks. This is why DA Leader, Mmusi Maimane, has called for the current model of BEE to be scrapped and for it to be replaced by a new model of genuine redress and inclusive growth that creates a shared future that all South Africans can be proud of.
The onus now rests with the SAPS to investigate these criminal complaints to the fullest extent of the law and to ensure that these monies are recouped and those implicated have their day in court.
Issued by Dean Macpherson, DA Shadow Minister of Trade and Industry, 27 September 2019
