Zuma’s PIO pals use SA Army base

Johannesburg, May 1: The landing of a private aircraft full of guests for an Indian wedding — billed as South African wedding of the century — on a restricted Air Force base has raised eyebrows here with the ruling African National Congress demanding explanation from the military.

An aircraft, chartered by the prominent Gupta family which has close ties to President Jacob Zuma landed at the Waterkloof Air Base yesterday. Radio reported the Guptas’ wedding guests were flown to the base and escorted from there by blue-light vehicles to Sun City, in North West.

The billionaire family, which owns The New Age newspaper and Sahara Computers, is expected to celebrate the wedding of Vega Gupta, 23, to Indianborn Aaskash Jahajgarhia at Sun City between May 14. The family says permission to land at Waterkloof was obtained through the Indian High Commission, while a SANDF spokesper-

It is an absolute insult to the people that private individuals can use a public facility, a union spokesman said

son said that he was not aware of permission being given to any private airplane to land at the base, state-owned broadcaster SABC said in a report.

Leading union confederation Cosatu and the ruling ANC said they were demanding answers from the South African National Defence Force over the alleged misuse of government resources.

“It is an absolute insult to the people of South Africa that private individuals can use a public facility for their social activities and that state officials should escort them,” Cosatu’s Patrick Craven said. — PTI