South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) General-Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi says newly-elected ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule must explain how millions of rands were handed to the Guptas from the Estina dairy farm for their 2013 family wedding.
This comes after the Asset Forfeiture Unit moved swiftly to seize the controversial farm.
Vavi says he is happy that the unit has acted on their complaint which they lodged following reports that politicians in partnership with the Gupta family had looted money from the farm.
“This was all happening under the watch of the MEC for Agriculture Mosebenzi Zwane, who was being supervised by the Premier, who is currently the SG of the ANC. He has a political responsibility to explain to South Africans why should we call him a Premier or even an honourable when R200 million from R225 million, meant for a dairy farm, found its way to the Gupta families and he can’t turn around and tell us members of the executive committee in the province knew nothing about this.”
According to leaked Gupta emails, R30 million was laundered to the Guptas for the family wedding.
The money originally belonged to Estina – a company that won a tender of R500 million to build the farm.
Meanwhile, the Bank of Baroda has agreed to share bank details of the Gupta family.
This follows allegations that much of the cash from their family accounts was used for money laundering.
Gupta linked companies are facing allegations of state capture and are accused of having looted billions of rand.
The family have denied all wrongdoing and Vavi has called for a lifestyle audit into officials who allegedly have dealings with them.
