Close X
Saturday, November 30, 2024
ADVT 
International

South African Opposition To Lay Criminal Charges Against Indian-Origin Gupta Family

IANS, 21 Mar, 2016 12:44 PM
    South African opposition, The Democratic Alliance (DA), threatened on Sunday to lay criminal charges against an Indian family "for what now amounts to further prima facie evidence of an attempt to improperly benefit from public resources".
     
    This followed media reports on Sunday that former Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) CEO, Themba Maseko, was called by President Jacob Zuma prior to a meeting with the Gupta family form India in Jonnesburg and asked to "help them", Xinhua reported.
     
    At the meeting, it is alleged that the Guptas wanted government advertising to be channelled to The New Age newspaper run by the Gupta family.
     
    The DA said it will write to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to request her to include the latest shocking revelations by Maseko in her investigation into Zuma and the Guptagate scandal.
     
    "This latest information regarding Gupta attempts to channel information to their newspaper may now explain why it is that the Department of Communications spent more than 10 million rand ($640,000) on advertising in The New Age in 2013/14. This amounts to 11.2 percent of government ad spend across 248 publications," the DA claimed.
     
    The party said it will continue to pursue all possible steps available to ensure that this attempt at "State Capture" by the Gupta family -- aided and abetted by Zuma -- is halted and justice is obtained.
     
    The former chair of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, Vytjie Mentor, publicly revealed recently that she was offered the job of Minister of Public Enterprises by the Guptas on conditions that she "drops the SAA (South African Airways) flight-route to India and give to them".
     
     
    Mentor further alleged that Zuma was on the Guptas Saxonwold premises in Johannesburg at the time, in a room next door.
     
    Mentor's utterances have led to several African National Congress members speaking out on similar encounters with the Guptas, including Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas, Public Service and Administration Minister Ngoako Ramathlodi and former Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan.
     
    A group of Catholic priests and brothers in Southern Africa, known as the Dominican Order, also requested the Public Protector to conduct a systemic investigation into the alleged involvement of the Gupta family in South African state affairs and the award of contracts to companies linked to the family.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Amar Singh, Indian-Origin Sikh Appointed Kuala Lumpur Police Chief

    Amar Singh, Indian-Origin Sikh Appointed Kuala Lumpur Police Chief
    The highest police rank previously achieved by a Sikh was senior assistant commissioner-I when Santokh Singh became police chief of Selangor state.

    Amar Singh, Indian-Origin Sikh Appointed Kuala Lumpur Police Chief

    Chilling Video Shows Syrian Father Helps 15-Year-Old Son Blow Himself Up, Videotapes It

    Chilling Video Shows Syrian Father Helps 15-Year-Old Son Blow Himself Up, Videotapes It
    The London-based NGO said the child -- nicknamed Abu Amarah al-Omari -- blew himself up with a car bomb at al-Sakhur area.

    Chilling Video Shows Syrian Father Helps 15-Year-Old Son Blow Himself Up, Videotapes It

    US Accuses Apple of 'Repudiating' Order On Phone access

    US Accuses Apple of 'Repudiating' Order On Phone access
    In a new motion Friday, federal prosecutors say the company has chosen to repudiate a judge's order instead of following it.

    US Accuses Apple of 'Repudiating' Order On Phone access

    Does Sexual Aggression Change Female Brain?

    Does Sexual Aggression Change Female Brain?
    Exposure to sexual violence may alter the female brain and reduce maternal behaviour needed to care for offspring, a new study suggests.

    Does Sexual Aggression Change Female Brain?

    Pakistani Court Issues Arrest Warrant For Musharraf

    Abdul Rashid Ghazi was among 90 students who were killed in a military raid on Islamabad's Red Mosque in 2007. At least 11 security men were also killed in the clashes.

    Pakistani Court Issues Arrest Warrant For Musharraf

    Six Indian-Americans Among Early-career Scientists Honoured By Obama

    Six Indian-Americans Among Early-career Scientists Honoured By Obama
    President Obama has named 106 researchers, including six of Indian origin, as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, the highest US government honour for young independent researchers.

    Six Indian-Americans Among Early-career Scientists Honoured By Obama