Gupta pillage of our country requires stern legal action
What has emerged today is the existence of concrete proof confirming what South Africans have known for some time: the ANC has created, aided, and sponsored a shadow criminal state in South Africa, led by the Guptas and the Zumas.
An array of cabinet ministers, state departments and entities, and public officials have systematically sold off South Africa to a small cabal of foreigners who are on our shores for one reason – to loot our country of its resources in order to makes themselves rich. This should anger anyone who hates injustice and cares about the future of our country.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has today consulted our lawyers with a view of taking legal action against Jacob Zuma, the Gupta family, implicated cabinet ministers, public officials, SOE executives and board members, and any other individuals who have acted to undermine the state. We believe there are a host of charges of the most serious order including grand corruption, undermining of state sovereignty, and various statutory offences including the leaking of classified information, and undue influence in the awarding of government contracts.
Today’s reports reveal written proof in the form of a string of emails which confirm that South Africa has been captured by the Guptas. From handpicking Cabinet Ministers, to appointing heads of SOE’s, to winning multi-billion rand government contracts, the Guptas and the Zuma’s have manipulated power in order to create a shadow criminal state which operates to enrich a few, and leave the majority of South Africans poor and jobless.
Moreover, it was revealed that Jacob Zuma has been putting in place an exit strategy – with the help of the Guptas – to relocate to Dubai after he is finished raiding the country of its very last cent.
It is clear that as the Gupta Capture scandals continue to grow, a Judicial Commission of Inquiry recommended by former Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, must be established to swiftly investigate this matter and ensure that this corruption of an unprecedented scale is stopped once and for all. Today’s revelations make it clear as to why Jacob Zuma is opposing the Public Protector’s recommendations in court.
While 9 million South Africans have lost hope in ever finding work, and millions more are trapped in abject poverty, the ANC allows this Gupta-headed heist of our country to proceed unabated.
In fact, today the ANC can remove Jacob Zuma at the sitting of its National Executive Committee (NEC). The NEC has the power to do so. Time will only tell if it has the will.
If the ANC chooses to stand by Zuma and all his corruption again today, then no one within the ANC can claim innocence for this absolute pillaging of our country by a band of connected crooks. There must be collective blame on the whole ANC for partaking, benefiting, and allowing this to unfold.
The ANC has past the point of no return. It cannot self-correct, and it cannot govern in the best interests of all South Africans.
That is why come 2019, the people of South Africa will remove the ANC from government and elect a clean, honest, reliable government that will govern for the people, not the Guptas.
Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane, Leader of the Democratic Alliance, 28 May 2017
