Edward bears down on Rupert
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma’s family have cautiously accepted the Constitutional Court judgment on his handling of Thuli Madonsela’s Nkandla report.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, Zuma’s eldest son, Edward, said the family would leave it to Zuma to decide how to deal with the implications of the finding.
“As the family we accept and respect the judiciary of South Africa. We will do as the court directed to implement its decision. We will, however, for now, leave it to the person concerned — that is, my father — to digest and decide on this ruling,” he said.
Edward made news this week when he went on air at a Gauteng radio station to defend his father’s relationship with the Gupta family; last week he caused a stir when he opened a criminal case against billionaire Johann Rupert at a police station near Nkandla.
This followed reports that some within the ANC believe that Rupert had influenced the removal of David van Rooyen as finance minister.
Edward told the Sunday Times that Rupert should be investigated, arrested and prosecuted for how he had amassed such wealth.
He called the luxury goods magnate “an arrogant white racist who has been looting unabated”.
This was after Rupert’s recent strong criticism of the president.
Edward said he did not want to share the contents of the affidavit he had deposed but insisted it was enough to get Rupert prosecuted.
“How did one person become so rich without having influenced the state? What does he have to lose when he called for the president to resign?
“I believe Rupert has used government connections to amass such wealth, directly or indirectly. I know of politicians who are called to wine estates for briefings,” he said.
In what was apparently a reference to Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, Edward said: “We know of one politician who is very, very rich. Where did he get his money?”
He would not be drawn on this. “In my affidavit we detail how Rupert has captured the state via certain politicians.”
Asked about the prospects of success in the case, Edward said he had full confidence in the legal system.
When the Sunday Times put Edward’s comments to Rupert yesterday afternoon, he chuckled and said it was an easy enough issue to solve.
“All he needs to do is to read the annual reports of the companies our family is invested in. The books are public and completely open to perusal.
“Anyway, those who invested in companies like Remgro and Reinet did as well as we did. This includes various pension funds, whose members have done well from their investments.” — Additional reporting by Jan-Jan Joubert
An arrogant white racist who has been looting unabated