Ramatlhodi admission raises further serious questions about state capture: DA

The admission by Minister for Public Service and Administration Ngoako Ramatlhodi that he had been approached by the Guptas in what appears to be a concerted project of state capture by the Zuma allies raises further serious questions‚ the Democratic Alliance says.

Ramatlhodi alleged on Thursday afternoon that shortly after his appointment as Minister of Mineral Resources‚ the Guptas had invited him for dinner at their home in Saxonwold but that he had declined the invitation.

“This allegation compounds the suspicions over the replacement of Ramatlhodi by Mosebenzi Zwane as Minister of Mineral Resources‚ an individual with known ties to the Guptas. Was Ramatlhodi replaced at their behest?” DA spokesman on mineral resources James Lorimer queried.

He said that earlier this year Zwane had accompanied the Guptas to Switzerland to visit Glencore in order to negotiate the purchase of their Optimum Colliery by Tegeta Exploration.

“Tegeta‚ which is co-owned by the Guptas and Duduzane Zuma‚ managed to secure highly lucrative coal supply contracts for two Eskom power stations in conjunction with their purchase of Optimum. Curiously‚ when Optimum was owned by Glencore it was slapped with a R2.5 billion fine for supplying poor quality cool. This issue has reportedly been resolved after the change in ownership.

“This raises serious questions about their political influence over Zwane’s appointment and the benefit the Guptas and Duduzane Zuma derived from it.

“Ramatlhodi and Zwane must come forward and fully disclose the nature of their relationship and interactions with the Guptas. The serious questions regarding the capture of the Executive by the Guptas must be answered‚” Lorimer said.