Malema: Govt using Gupta arrests to take heat off Ramaphosa

Malema briefed the media at the party’s headquarters in Marshalltown on Tuesday.

The briefing comes just a day after the two Indian-born businessmen, Atul and Rajesh Gupta, were arrested by the Dubai police on Monday.

They are sought by South African law enforcement on charges related to state capture.

The two brothers are accused of paying bribes for state contracts and influencing the former president Jacob Zuma’s running of the state.

But Malema said he remains to be convinced.

“Before I answer the question of the Gupta, which I am not going to answer, give me a picture of the Guptas in prison first, then I will answer that question, because the possibility is that this story might be used as a diversion. I am told the National Prosecuting Authority says it doesn’t know this and therefore I am not going to entertain a diversion and a spin of the state.

“The state went to write its own letter and sent it to a DG in the Presidency and took their own bullet and put it there, when South Africans refused to buy that story of intimidation of the DG as a diversion, then Guptas arrive,” he added.

He also questioned why there has been no move on the part of the NPA to prosecute the son of former president Jacob Zuma.

“I don’t want to dwell much on the Guptas, you need to ask yourself questions why Duduzane Zuma is not arrested? Why they are no charges against Duduzane who facilitated the Gupta corruption?

“When you arrest the Guptas, you have to say here is what you did, but this is the enabler of you doing this.

“The international police can release a statement, but it is an interesting story. I would want to see the Guptas in jail, and I would want to hear that they are being brought to South Africa to be prosecuted here.”

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