Zwane gets special Gupta treatment
State capture family flew minister for medical treatment in New Delhi hospitals
The Guptas flew Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane to India for medical treatment a few days after he helped them acquire a coal mine from multinational mining giant Glencore in December 2015. Although it is not yet clear if the controversial family footed the minister’s hospital bill, the Sunday Times can reveal that details of the diagnosis, his treatment and the medical prescription was sent to Tony Gupta by e-mail.
The Guptas flew Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane to India for medical treatment a few days after he helped them acquire a coal mine from Glencore in December 2015.
Although it is not yet clear if the family footed the minister’s hospital bill, the Sunday Times can reveal that details of the diagnosis, his treatment and the medical prescriptions were sent to Tony Gupta by e-mail.
This latest revelation further puts into question Zwane’s claim in parliament, in April last year, that he had “not met with any member, nor close associate of the Guptas” since his appointment as minister in September 2015. Misleading parliament is a criminal offence which could land the perpetrator in jail.
It also partly resolves the mystery highlighted by former public protector Thuli Madonsela in her State of Capture report about Zwane’s whereabouts between December 2 and 5 of that year.
Shared jet with Guptas, associates
During that period, Zwane flew to India with Tony and a number of Gupta business associates, including Salim Essa and Kolkata businessman Parasmal Lodha, who was later arrested for money laundering in Mumbai. The group travelled from Switzerland via Dubai in a private jet owned by the Guptas, despite Zwane having a ticket on an Emirates flight to Dubai booked by his department.
In an e-mail from one Srikant Singhala to Tony on December 5 2015, Zwane’s medical details are attached and marked “doctor’s file”.
They show that he visited one of New Delhi’s top hospitals — Max Super Speciality Hospital — on December 2. Two days later, Zwane visited another top hospital, the Medanta MediCity outside New Delhi.
Flouting official travel protocol
The Sunday Times cannot reveal the nature of his medical condition out of respect for doctor-patient confidentiality.
But what has raised eyebrows is how Zwane’s medical records for both visits to the specialists were received by Tony through his Sahara e-mail address.
The minister and his office failed to respond to Sunday Times questions about his India trip this week.
It was previously reported that South African diplomats in Dubai were left wondering where the minister had gone when he landed there from Zurich in a Gupta jet and then flew out to India without informing them. The diplomats had been sent to meet him in line with government protocol.
Five-star Dubai stay booked by family
In Zurich, where he is said to have helped the Guptas negotiate a deal with Glencore to take over its Optimum Mine, Zwane refused to meet South African ambassador Claudinah Ramosepele. After three days of meetings with Glencore CEO Ivan Glasenberg, Zwane flew to Dubai where the Guptas had booked him into the five-star Oberoi hotel and had him chauffeured in a BMW 7 Series.
In his previous responses to questions about the trip, Zwane spokesman Martin Madlala said the minister had been on a working visit to promote investment in South African mines. This is despite Zwane’s official itinerary showing that he had only met with Glasenberg in Zurich.
The Gupta e-mails reveal that a month before he was appointed by President Jacob Zuma as minister, Zwane’s CV was sent to Tony.
Zwane, under fire for his new mining charter, is also in hot water for apparently misleading parliament last year in his replies to DA questions about meeting the Guptas.
In his response to the parliamentary question at the time, Zwane said: “The minister has not met with any member, nor close associate of the Guptas. He has also not attended a meeting with a specified person at the Gupta’s Saxonwold estate in Johannesburg.”
“If he failed to disclose his relationships and misled parliament, he doesn’t belong in that position if we can prove that he misled parliament,” said DA MP James Lorimer.