New Home Affairs probe into officials implicated in Gupta emails
| mayibongwe. THE Home Affairs Department has instituted yet another probe into officials who are implicated in the leaked Gupta emails.
This was revealed by Minister Malusi Gigaba when he testified before the parliamentary inquiry into the early naturalisation of the Gupta family.
Gigaba said former director-general Mkuseli Apleni had previously written letters to the officials who were featured in the leaked emails such as Jackie McKay, Gideon Christians, Major Kobese and others.
“I’m sure he will be able, when he presents before the committee, to explain how they responded,” he said about Apleni who is scheduled to testify again in December when the inquiry resumes.
Gigaba said the new probe was sparked by the latest information in the department’s possession.
“Given the information that we are aware of, the acting director-general is undertaking another internal process to send letters so that we can undertake a further internal process,” the minister said.
Some of the officials have confirmed the authenticity of the leaked emails, but denied sending certain emails.
The Gupta naturalisation inquiry heard that Christians shared sensitive information with former Sahara Computers chief executive Ashu Chawla during their interaction when he applied for visas for the Guptas and work permits for their employees.
It also heard that Kobese had used his private email to communicate with Chawla for activities of his non-profit organisation.
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) linked Gigaba to misconduct emanating from purported instructions allegedly issued on his behalf, but the minister has vehemently denied there was evidence proving misconduct on his part.
In August, Christians, who was sent to India apparently because he was allegedly amenable to the Guptas, confirmed that Apleni quizzed him about the leaked emails.
At the time Apleni said no action was taken against Christians because he had denied the allegations arising from leaked emails.
“He refuted all that was in the media,” Apleni said, adding that the department could not take the matter further because it had no information.
Committee chairperson Hlomane Chauke said yesterday the leaked emails were relevant to the inquiry and most officials accepted the emails.
“In general, there was acceptance of those emails. The emails were confirmed,” Chauke said.
Gigaba, who has denied doing favours for the Guptas or receiving gratification, has sharply criticised Outa for making sweeping statements maligning him.