Gigaba to face commission of inquiry on Guptas

Minister Bheki Cele to conduct a threat analysis so that Rantho could be provided with security as her life was in danger. She was also threatened a few months ago.

The EFF’s Marshall Dlamini said the government must provide her with protection as there were hundreds of VIP protection officers guarding ministers.

The IFP’s Narend Singh said: “We have a responsibility to protect each other. What member Rantho can do is to lay a charge and let the police do a threat analysis,” he said, adding that if she has to be given bodyguards let it be so.

Dlamini said they did not want to leave it too late and regret it when something happened to Rantho.

Suspended Eskom head of legal and compliance Suzanne Daniels also told the committee last year that she was also threatened, had an attempted break-in at her house and forced off the road.

Natasha Mazzone of the DA told the committee she has faced threats as well. She said they would not allow anyone to intimidate them for the work they were doing in investigating state capture. HOME Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba will be subjected to another inquiry to answer on matters related to the controversial Gupta family’s naturalisation after Parliament’s portfolio committee on home affairs resolved to hold a full inquiry.

The committee said there was a case to answer over the circumstances involving Gigaba and the early naturalisation of the Gupta family members.

DA MP Mohammed Hoosen led the discussion which focused on a series of e-mails that were brought to its attention.

Hoosen proposed the committee hold an inquiry on the basis of the evidence. He said the minister lied by omission when he failed to declare all members of the Gupta family who were granted citizenship.

The Electoral Commission of SA database revealed there were a further six members of the family who are citizens and registered as voters.

Gigaba also made contradictory statements before Parliament on the citizenship of some members of the Guptas.

“There was an obligation by law that requires the minister to declare this (naturalisation of Gupta family members). He did declare the five members of the Gupta family. But further investigations revealed that the entire family was not declared to Parliament. It is my accession that the information that is before us (shows) none of the Gupta family members were declared to Parliament,” said Hoosen.

He proposed that the committee hold a full inquiry to “prove whether or not there was preferential treatment for any of the Gupta family members, and who is responsible for that”.

MPs agreed unanimously that a full investigation into the matter should be undertaken.