Guptas in control of South African Government

22 April 2016

What more evidence do we need that the Gupta Family controls the government? It is unheard of for cabinet ministers to become directly involved in a dispute between banks and a private company. For Zuma and the cabinet to have decided on appointing three ministers to intervene on behalf of the Guptas with the four banks that have withdrawn their support to Oakbay is unprecedented. Will any other company get exactly the same support in similar circumstances?

While Zandspruit and many other townships around the country are in flames, because of a lack of service delivery, Zuma rushes to the help of his bosses and neglects South Africans who are crying out for assistance.

Instead of sending his minister to listen to the people who are crying out for help, Zuma has other priorities for them. The fact that his son is an affected party makes cabinet’s decision unpalatable. It is shameful for the South African cabinet to act as puppets. This does not surprise us because many of the ministers who are sitting in the cabinet do so thanks to the intervention of the Gupta family.

COPE calls upon ministers Gordhan, Oliphant and Zwane to defy this instruction. Let Oakbay seek judicial intervention or approach other banks. The most that government should do, in the interest of affected workers, is to publicly call on the four banks to review their decision now that Oakbay has a new auditor.  

Zuma and the Guptas must sort out the problem without massive state intervention which can easily be misconstrued as excessive and undue pressure. The Gupta family cannot go on controlling the South African government.

Issued by Dennis Bloem, COPE Spokesperson, 22 Aprli 2016