Guptagate report ‘whitewash' reinforces need for an independent investigation

The final Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster Report of the Landing of a Chartered Commercial Aircraft at Air Force Base Waterkloof reinforces the need for an independent investigation into "Guptagate".

The final report was deliberately and cynically withheld from the opposition ahead of the debate in Parliament. The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Jeff Radebe, clearly did this to "disarm" the opposition in the snap debate on "Guptagate".

The release of the final report confirms that the scope of the investigation did not extend to the role played by President Jacob Zuma and members of his Cabinet. Moreover, the report suggests that the task team did not interview President Jacob Zuma or members of his Cabinet about their role in "Guptagate".

The investigation report raises new question about the conduct of the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who received a call from Mr Atul Gupta, requesting landing rights to AFB Waterkloof. It is not clear that, in the first instance, the Minister turned down the request. In fact, it appears that the request may have been seriously considered by the Minister.

The investigation report also raises new questions about the conduct of members of the Cabinet. Several cabinet members appear to have defied an instruction not to attend the wedding at Sun City. This includes the Minister of Home Affairs, Naledi Pandor, who ironically spoke in the debate on "Guptagate" in Parliament.

We have to be able to evaluate the conclusions drawn by the task teams as a result of their investigation. I will write to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Jeff Radebe, and ask him to make copies of the statements by the various witnesses available to me. I will particularly request the statements by the Chief of State Protocol, Bruce Koloane, the Minister of Defence's Chief Political Advisor, Mr Michael Ramagoma, Lieutenant-Colonel Anderson and Mr Atul Gupta.

This will provide us with an opportunity to properly evaluate the conclusions in the final report of the investigation.

In the end, the final report of the investigation reinforces the need for an independent investigation to be conducted by the Public Protector, Advocate Thuli Madonsela, into "Guptagate".

Statement issued by David Maynier MP, DA Shadow Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, May 23 2013

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