Hawks confirm they are investigating the Guptas for allegedly using public funds to pay for a family wedding at Sun City in 2013

30 August 2017

This morning, Lieutenant-General Yolisa Matakata, acting head of the Hawks, confirmed at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance, that “a team” was now investigating the charges I laid against Mosebenzi Zwane, Atul Gupta, Ajay Gupta, Rajesh Gupta, Ronica Ragavan and Kamal Vasram with the South African Police Service on 03 July 2017 in Cape Town.

This follows revelations that public funds, meant to assist the poor, were allegedly washed through a complex web of front companies, and used to pay for Vega Gupta and Aakash Jahajgarhia’s wedding at Sun City in 2013.

The charges include: racketeering, money laundering, assisting another to benefit from the proceeds of unlawful activities, and acquiring, possessing or using the proceeds of unlawful activities in terms of the Prevention of Organized Crime Act (No. 121 of 1998); and submitting false, or untrue, tax returns in terms of the Tax Administration Act (No. 28 of 2011).

The fact that public funds, meant to assist the poor, were allegedly used to pay for President Jacob Zuma’s number one clients', the Guptas’, family wedding is grotesque and must be investigated without fear or favour, by the Hawks.

Issued by David Maynier, DA Shadow Minister of Finance, 30 August 2017