Gigaba not off hook for Guptas’ naturalisation
FINANCE Minister Gigaba is far from being let off the hook regarding the explanation required on the naturalisation of the Guptas.
This is despite Home Affairs Department director-general Mkuseli Apleni yesterday explaining to the portfolio committee the law and processes followed when his former boss used his discretion to grant the naturalisation certificate.
Gigaba, along with current Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize, did not attend the meeting as they had tendered apologies.
Even acting Home Affairs Minister Faith Muthambi did not pitch up in place of Mkhize.
The EFF’s Hlengiwe Hlophe said it seemed the committee was not respected. “We want Hlengiwe Mkhize and the former, who took this decision of the early naturalisation.”
ANC MP Deborah Raphuti said: “We must engage with documents before us and if there are any issues, we can take them forward. No one is running away from this issue.”
The DA’s John Steenhuisen insisted that the problem was not with the department, but lay with the exercise of ministerial discretion by Gigaba. Freedom Front Plus Pieter Mulder said it was not for officials to do the bidding for ministers.
“Those ministers should come and account.”
The IFP’s Sibongile Nkomo echoed the same sentiments, saying the “main” people to account were the ministers. She called on committee chairperson Lemias Mashile to play his part in ensuring the ministers were summoned.
Briefing the committee, Apleni said the Guptas had applied for naturalisation as a family of five: Ajay Gupta, his wife Shivani, his mother Angoori, and his sons Kamal Kant Singhala and Surya Kant Singhala.
“It’s a choice to decide to apply for naturalisation as a family or as an individual.”
Apleni also said two of the family members, Shivani and Angoori, did not meet the requirements after they had spent more than 90 days in the five years preceding their application.
He explained that if one family member did not meet the requirements, the entire application was unsuccessful.