Guptas’ escape blame furore

State security minister hits back over ‘finger pointing’

STATE Security Minister Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba has washed her department’s hands of claims that it allowed the Guptas to flee the country to Dubai to avoid arrests. Letsatsi-Duba told the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) yesterday they cannot be held responsible for the Guptas’ escape last month.

Opposition parties were quizzing ministers in the security cluster in the NCOP yesterday when Letsatsi-Duba denied the allegations.

She said warrants of arrests must be acted upon by the responsible agencies. It was not the job of the State Security Agency (SSA) to arrest people suspected of criminal activities.

“We are not responsible for action. If an arrest warrant is issued we take it to the relevant department to act upon. The agency cannot be held responsible for the Guptas leaving the country. Yes, the warrant was issued and through our systems we were able to warn whoever was responsible for action,” she told the House.

MPs were angry that two months after the Guptas disappeared there was no explanation as to how they slipped through the net.

The Hawks raided the family’s Saxonwold house early this month. This was a month after the Guptas had fled. The questions on the Guptas came as the portfolio committee on public enterprises expressed its support for the chairperson of the inquiry into state capture, Zukiswa Rantho.

This was after she received threatening phone calls at the weekend, which she reported to the police.

But members of the committee said they wanted Speaker Baleka Mbete to intervene and provide security for her.

They added they also wanted Police

DENIES SECURITY CLUSTER HAD ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR BROTHERS SLIPPING THROUGH THE NET