Zuma calls removal bid unfair as cops raid Gupta family home
NOOSE TIGHTENS Three people held, up to seven more likely to be arrested including some Gupta family members
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa’s ruling party ANC on Wednesday unveiled plans to sack President Jacob Zuma via a parliamentary no-confidence vote, hours after armed police raided the luxury home of his Indian-origin friends, the Gupta brothers.
Zuma fought back against the order from the African National Congress to immediately resign over corruption, saying he had been unfairly treated and was given no reason for quitting.
Local media reported that Ajay Gupta, the eldest of the Gupta brothers, and one or two of the family’s associates were officially under arrest after the early morning raid in which the police’s elite Hawks unit took part. But a lawyer denied this
“The media has got it wrong. None of the Gupta brothers have been arrested. I can’t tell you who has been arrested,” the lawyer representing the family told Reuters. City Press newspaper reported that Ajay Gupta has been arrested, adding that authorities were hunting for Zuma’s son, Duduzane. It also said that Atul Gupta was in talks with the Hawks to hand himself over.
The early morning raid marked a dramatic escalation in the pressure on Zuma and the political faction around him accused of milking state resources for their own ends. Zuma, 75, denies any wrongdoing.
With the ANC backing an opposition-led no-confidence motion likely to be heard on Thursday, Zuma appears to have run out of fuel after nine years in office dogged by scandal and economic stagnation.
ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu said deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, whose election as head of the ANC in December marked the beginning of the end of Zuma’s tenure, could be sworn in as head of state as early as Friday. “After we have voted for the removal of the President of the Republic tomorrow – and depending on the availability of the Chief Justice – we will also elect a new president,” Mthembu said.
The speed of Zuma’s downfall after two weeks of dithering by the ANC has stunned South Africa. In a rambling 45-minute interview on Wednesday, Zuma did not directly refuse to resign, but said he disagreed with “the manner in which the decision is being implemented.”
“It was very unfair to me that this issue is raised,” he said. “Nobody has ever provided the reasons. Nobody is saying what I have done.”
He repeatedly said he was not defying the ANC leadership, but added that “I don’t agree, as there is no evidence of if I have done anything wrong.” Atul Gupta moved to Johannesburg from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, in 1993, setting up Sahara Computers. His brothers Ajay and Rajesh "Tony" soon followed him there
The brothers soon diversified into mining, engineering and the media
They are on no rich list but are extremely wealthy — Sahara Computers has an annual turnover of 200 million rand ($22 million)
IN 2013: the Guptas triggered a political storm after a family plane carrying 200 wedding guests landed at the Waterkloof Air Base, Pretoria, which is usually reserved for visiting heads of state and diplomatic delegations. From there, they were given a police escort to the Sun City holiday resort he was "simply trying to give (o daughter... a memorable wedding on Sou African soil", but both the ruling A and the opposit Democratic Allia a said this was a "blatant abuse ofo power" one of Zuma's wives, worked for Guptacontrolled mines his daughter, was a director at Sahara Computers his son, was a director of some Gupta-owned companies with The Guptas have had all their accounts anumber of banks closed due to alleged dubious business dealings. would The family has announced that they
African "exit our shareholding of the South businesses which we believe will benefit our existing employees" family This has led to speculation that the may relocate to another country