What went on in the Gupta compound
Fancy cars & pampered wives – how the Guptas lived until they disappeared
WE SEARCHED high and low – from leafy Johannesburg neighbourhoods and a luxury safari lodge in Limpopo to mansions in stinking rich suburbs of Cape Town. But everywhere we went we got the same answer: “the Guptas aren’t here.”
Yet while it’s now believed all three brothers have fled the country there’s still evidence of the lavish lifestyles they once lived here, milking their association with former president Jacob Zuma at every opportunity. They owned multiple properties countrywide, a fleet of luxury cars – reportedly including a Maserati, Bentley and Lamborghini – and they employed a small army of private bodyguards to protect them and ferry their wives to upmarket shopping centres.
Most South Africans first heard of the notorious family in 2013 when they landed a private plane at Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria – a national key point – filled with guests on their way to a lavish family celebration in Sun City.
There was a time not so long ago when Atul (50), Ajay (52) and Rajesh, also known as “Tony” (46), hosted senior government ministers in their compound in Saxonwold, Joburg, and interfered with the appointment of ministers. Now the Hawks have issued warrants for their arrest on corruption charges, and assets worth R220 million have been frozen. But where are the Guptas now? “In Dubai,” says our source, who used to be close to the family. Maybe the Guptas always knew they’d have to flee one day. Back in 2015 they reportedly splashed out R445 million on a 10-bedroom house in the United Arab Emirates – which doesn’t have an extradition treaty with South Africa. It’s believed that’s where they could be holed up now.
When the brothers left SA recently they didn’t go alone – they took their wives and children with them, our source says. Atul is married to Chetali (48), Ajay to Shivani (48) and Tony to Aarti (41).
Although the brothers kept their wives out of the public eye all three women have Facebook profiles – though the possibility exists that they’re fake.
Nevertheless they make for fascinating viewing because pictures of the brothers are prominent and don’t appear to be doctored. In one of Shivani’s pictures she and Ajay are sitting on a bed. She lists Joburg as her home and states she’s originally from Muzaffarnagar – a small town in northern India. She has 106 Facebook friends, including members of the Gupta clan, Atul among them.
Aarti, Tony’s wife, was last active on Facebook in 2012. There are no pictures of her on the platform, though she does reveal she lives in Joburg and hails from the town of Gwalior in India.
Atul’s wife, Chetali, is the most active on Facebook of the three. According to her profile she lives in Delhi, India, and is originally from Saharanpur, the Guptas’ hometown. Her last entry was on 17 February in the form of a quote: “Give the gift of your absence to those who do not appreciate your presence.”
HIGH white walls and a locked gate made of black wrought iron are what we encounter when we pull up outside the Guptas’ main residence in a jacaranda-lined street in Saxonwold. A security guard comes out onto the street but when we try to talk to him, he turns and
closes the heavy gate behind him.
The Guptas are very private, our source says. During meetings at the compound the brothers kept their wives and children out of sight. He doesn’t know exactly how many children each brother has. “The Guptas see the children as everyone’s – everyone is responsible for everyone else’s kids”, he explains.
“Most of the children are grown-ups now and some of them are qualified chartered accountants.”
The women never cooked. Instead they had full-time chefs brought over from India who lived on the estate.
The source says there’s a clear hierarchy among the brothers, with the two younger ones deferring to Ajay in all decisions. “I almost never saw Tony because he was in charge of their overseas business interests. Atul took care of local business and Ajay was the big boss.”
Ajay is a hardworking man, he adds. “He got up early every morning and his driver would take him in his black Range Rover to his office in Sandton. Ajay is exceptionally driven and intelligent. It’s actually quite impressive watching him when he’s negotiating a deal.”
The source says he wasn’t personally involved in anything illegal. “I was never included in circles where politicians were involved – it would’ve cost me my reputation. I was never exposed to irregularities and for that I’m grateful. They kept me away from any dark dealings.”
He says the Saxonwold mansion felt more like an office park than a home.
“The reception area is open and clinical – it’s kept neat and the floors are always polished. There are two different rooms where meetings are held.
“In the reception hall they’ll ask if you’d like anything to eat or drink – they’re extremely generous people.”
He says when Ajay is relaxing he’ll swop his suits for Indian attire. “He never wears shorts, a T-shirt and sneakers.”
It was reported that civil rights group Outa, which is opposing e-tolls, uncovered about 100 cars registered in the names of the Guptas and their companies. They include a Bentley, Lamborgh- ini, Maserati and several BMWs and luxury Land Rovers. Outa couldn’t confirm where the vehicles are now.
They also own – directly or through entities in which they have an interest – a lot of real estate. Apart from the Saxonwold mansion, bought in 2009 for R9 million, there are 12 more properties in Sandton and Midrand. They also own three properties in Cape Town, the most expensive of which is a mansion in Constantia they bought for R17 million.
They also own a house in Hartbeespoort, North West, and eight farms adjacent to the Brakfontein coalmine in Mpumalanga which they bought for R66 million. Then there’s their home in Umhlanga Rocks, KwaZulu-Natal.
But by far the shiniest jewel in their property portfolio is the Clifftop Exclusive Safari Hideaway on the Welgevonden Game Reserve near Modimolle, Limpopo, where they used to holiday. Staying in the super-luxurious lodge will cost you more than R10 000 a night. As the name indicates, the lodge is built atop a cliff, with breathtaking views of the landscape from the suites which each boast a private plunge pool.
But over at their smallholding in Carlswald, Midrand, things are looking decidedly down at heel. We’re greeted by locked gates and drawn curtains. Although the lawn has recently been mowed, the garden looks unkempt.
The Guptas’ computer company, Sahara, is also in Midrand, right next door to the TV channel ANN7 and The New Age newspaper. Despite offloading these two media enterprises the family still own the building in which they’re housed.
Although they’ve reportedly shut down Sahara, at the time of our visit the front doors were open and there were cars in the parking lot. The guard on duty wouldn’t let us in but confirmed people still work there. He told us the Guptas are friendly and that he’s still being paid a salary every month. “Otherwise I wouldn’t be here,” he said. The property was bought in 2007 for R30 million.
We move on to the office complex housing JIC Mining Services, another Gupta entity in Midrand, the complex is hedged in by green palisade fencing and roses grow in the front garden. The property is registered in the name of Island-site Investments, another Gupta company, and is for sale. In 2007 the Guptas paid R22,1 million for it.
Another property in Morningside Manor, near Gallo Manor in Joburg, seems abandoned. The gate is locked with a bicycle chain. All the windows have bars and the curtains are drawn. A neighbour’s gardener says it’s been a while since any Guptas were seen here.
It’s hard to believe but after years of dominating headlines the brothers have simply vanished – presumably taking millions of their ill-gotten gains with them. S
‘I was never exposed to irregularities and for that I’m grateful’