DA: “Guptas are Like Rats Abandoning a Sinking Ship in South Africa

South African opposition parties, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), have both welcomed the news that the Gupta family will exit their shareholding in all their businesses in SA by the end of 2016. The EFF said it welcomed the news “with caution”, whilst the DA said the family’s claim that their decision is to advance the interest of the country is “plain dishonest”.

David Maynier, Shadow Minister of Finance, said in a statement:

“The fact is that the members of the Gupta family, and the businesses controlled by them, are the subject of multiple investigations, including:

• an investigation by the Hawks into alleged corruption;
• an investigation by the Financial Intelligence Centre into alleged money laundering;
• an investigation by the South African Reserve Bank relating to the termination of business relationships with certain banks; and
• numerous investigations by National Treasury into alleged corruption relating to their business dealings with state-owned companies including Denel, Eskom and Transnet.

“Things have evidently reached a “tipping point” and the Gupta family has decided that it’s in their best interests to abandon ship in South Africa.

“We will not back down and will do everything to ensure that the various investigations being conducted into the Gupta family’s businesses are concluded and that the results of those investigations are made public.

“The fact is that in end the Guptas are like rats abandoning a sinking ship in South Africa.”

The EFF’s Fana Mokoena said: “We don’t trust the Guptas and their puppets and the president and his sons… as long as the country can move forward.” He reiterated the allegation that the Guptas have had influence over the appointment of Ministers.

Meanwhile on Twitter, EFF leader Julius Malema tweeted: “Anyone thinking of being a #Gupta‘s front, Pasop.”