London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

S Africa: Opposition calls for prosecution of Guptas after arrest

S Africa: Opposition calls for prosecution of Guptas after arrest

SA politicians have been reacting to the arrest of the Guptas, who are enmeshed in a longrunning corruption scandal.

The Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s leading opposition party, has welcomed the arrest of the controversial Gupta brothers by police in the United Arab Emirates and called for their prosecution.

Atul and Rajesh Gupta, two of the leading members of the Gupta family, were arrested in Dubai on Tuesday.

They fled there in April 2016, shortly after investigations into their role in using their affiliation with former president Jacob Zuma, to influence contracts and appointments, intensified.

Zuma, who was president from 2009 to 2018, is on trial for misappropriation of state funds during his tenure in collusion with the brothers, among others. He and the Guptas have denied any wrongdoing.

In a statement on Tuesday, the DA called for more arrests in connection with the theft of state funds, “We hope that this is indeed the beginning of arrests and prosecution of those who have – locally and abroad – looted our country for years and are directly responsible for the hardships that millions of South Africans face today.”

The Dubai Police said that it received a “red notice” alert from Interpol following efforts by the South African Department of Justice and Correctional Services to arrest the brothers who are “among South Africa’s most wanted suspects, in connection with money laundering and criminal charges in South Africa”.

The charges relate to a $1.6m government contract awarded to a Gupta-owned company, Islandsite, through an investment firm owned by a Gupta affiliate Iqbal Sharma, by the Department of Agriculture in the Free State province, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

Vuyo Zungula, leader of the smaller opposition party African Transformation Movement (ATM), also commented, saying, “The law must run its course, and we hope that the nation will be kept abreast of all developments until the finalisation of the court processes.”

The governing African National Congress (ANC) also released a statement on Tuesday urging the authorities in South Africa and the UAE “to expedite the extradition of Messrs Gupta to South Africa so that the charges against them can be adjudicated by a court of law.”

But other politicians seem to be wary of the latest developments.

Julus Malema, the outspoken leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said the story might be “a diversion to take away attention from President Cyril Ramaphosa”, who has also been at the receiving end of serious accusations of corruption recently.

“Show me a picture of the Guptas in prison,” he told the media during a news conference on Tuesday, “There is a huge possibility that this story is being used as a diversion.”

A commission was set up to investigate corruption by top government officials and Zuma associates, especially the Guptas, throughout his presidency.

Hundreds of witnesses testified before the commission which cost $65m in its three years of operation. The first part of the “state capture report” was delivered in January 2022. According to the report, the Guptas allegedly funnelled millions through government contracts into their own companies.

The Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services said, “Discussions between various law enforcement agencies in the UAE and South Africa on the way forward are ongoing. The South African government will continue to co-operate with the UAE.”

Chrispin Phiri, a spokesperson for the ministry declined to comment on the next stages in the extradition of the Gupta brothers or the kind of transparency the public will be granted.

“We will not make any additional comments; we can only confirm arrests at this time,” he told Al Jazeera.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
×