DA seeks answers to Guptas’ military data

The intricate web of state capture woven by the Guptas continues to unravel, as the DA plans to write to the defence committee to request that Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula brief the committee urgently on how the family gained access to classified military information.

The Sunday Times reported on Sunday that the Guptas were given sensitive military information and maps with the full co-operation of government officials, allowing them to land at Waterkloof Air Force base in 2013 ahead of a family wedding at Sun City.

“If these allegations are true, the Gupta family and their associates were potentially in contravention of the Defence Act, South African Revenue Service (SARS) Act and the Customs and Excise Act, as they failed to request or receive any approval from the South African Civil Aviation Authority, the defence force and SARS,” said DA MP Kobus Marais.

Political parties have until Friday to make submissions to National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete on whether or not the August vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma should be via secret or open ballot. Opposition parties are in favour of a secret ballot, but the ANC remains tightlipped about what submission it will make to the speaker.

ANC MP Makhosi Khoza has called for a conscience vote. But the party’s chief whip, Jackson Mthembu, wants her disciplined for breaking ranks. “ANC MP comrade Makhosi Khoza has gone on a publicity spree in the past week stating that she will not toe the party line when voting in the upcoming motion in Parliament. Through her many interviews, she casts aspersions on ANC members of Parliament, saying that she doubts that ANC MPs have the necessary morality to make their own decisions,” read a statement from Mthembu.

The #UniteBehind coalition will on Tuesday host a public debate in Cape Town on “open vote or secret ballot”.

On Tuesday, Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize will address a dialogue in Pretoria on the repositioning of her department.

The department says the repositioning “is necessitated by a legacy of legislation, funding, security, systems and capacity that is not aligned with the needs of a sovereign, democratic state.

“As positioned, the department cannot deliver against its full mandate as a critical enabler of inclusive development, national security, effective service delivery and efficient administration.”