Gigaba must explain Guptas’ citizenship

FINANCE Minister Malusi Gigaba has been summoned to appear before Parliament’s Home Affairs committee next week to explain the reasoning behind him granting the Gupta family early citizenship in his previous role as Home Affairs minister.

Following heated exchanges between MPs over the absence of Home Affairs director-general Mkuseli Apleni, who missed a meeting with the committee yesterday, politicians agreed the decision-making process that led to Gigaba overruling an official’s decision to deny the Guptas early naturalisation was a matter of public interest that needed urgent attention.

While an apology from the Apleni, who was briefing another committee of Parliament, was reluctantly accepted, MPs said the DG, his minister Hlengiwe Mkhize and Gigaba should not be given a choice on providing answers to the committee next week.

“I agree, although I’m not comfortable with the word ‘invite’ because we invited them today (Tuesday) and they did not come.

“I would just like to emphasise it’s not a matter of choice, we must make it clear they must appear before the committee…,” said DA MP Haniff Hoosen.

Hlengiwe Hlope of the EFF, the party which publicly released the two letters – one from a senior official denying the Guptas citizenship and another from Gigaba overturning this decision – said the appearance of the ministers and Apleni should not be made optional.

ANC MP Maesela Kekana agreed, saying: “We don’t invite them, we summon them. We want them here. It must be clear in bold letters.”

It emerged yesterday that an announcement by the EFF that they would be taking Gigaba to court over his controversial decision could throw a spanner in the works.

Parliamentary senior legal adviser Anthea Gordon told the committee that the Supreme Court of Appeal had upheld several years ago that while a matter might be before a court of law, “it does not mean you cannot discuss it”.