Call to charge Guptas for citizenship deceit

Ex-home affairs minister Gigaba implicated too

Gupta family and Chawla had a degree of influence

PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HOME AFFAIRS

PARLIAMENT’S portfolio committee on home affairs yesterday revealed that it had found serious flaws in the granting of early naturalisation to the Gupta family and recommended that the citizenship of members of the family, as well as that of their right hand man, Ashu Chawla, be revoked and for them to be criminally charged.

The committee said evidence gathered during its investigation revealed that the Gupta family and Chawla “had a degree of influence over affairs of the department of home affairs and (Malusi) Gigaba”.

Gigaba, a former home affairs minister, is implicated in the report which found that he erred when he approved the naturalisation of the Gupta family.

The committee’s report, which is expected to go before the National Assembly for consideration and adoption this week, recommended that the matter be brought before the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture.

The committee was tasked with conducting an investigation into the early naturalisation of Ajay Gupta, his wife Shivani, mother Angoori, and sons Kamal Kant Singhala and Surya Kant Singhala.

It found that Chawla provided Home Affairs with false information when he acted as an intermediary for the family regarding social contributions and improper procedures was followed as far as the renunciation of their Indian nationality was concerned.

In terms of Social Investment to support their application for early naturalisation, 76 schools in the North West were said to have received donations

“Supporting documentation submitted to the DHA related to Mr Ajay Gupta’s early naturalisation application included the social responsibility donations to schools in the North

West.

“Evidence from schools suggests that in some instances, the donations may be overstated or incorrect,” the report noted.

The Parliament Research Unit attempted to gather evidence of this having occurred in the absence of such being done by the DHA.

The report also found that Chawla wielded sufficient influence within the DHA to, among others, receive preferential treatment such as expedited and incorrect visa approvals.

The DA yesterday accused the ANC of protecting Gigaba after it said it was “incorrect” to grant members of the Gupta family early naturalisation, but did not recommend any sanctions.

DA MP Haniff Hoosen said the ANC members in the committee were whitewashing Gigaba’s role in the “unlawful approval” of the Gupta naturalisation.

“The ANC members have made every effort to lay the blame solely on Home Affairs officials for the irregularities in the processing of the application while absolving Gigaba of wrongdoing.

“This is despite the fact that the application was initially correctly rejected by officials and only approved on the submission of a further application on the grounds of ‘exceptional circumstances’ to the minister,” said Hoosen.

Gigaba, who could not be reached for comment, had previously told Parliament that his relationship with the family did not influence their early naturalisation.

Attempts to contact the ANC and the National Prosecuting Authority for comment were unsuccessful.