South Africa: Zuma allies' home raided and no-confidence vote announced
An elite South African
police team has raided the luxurious home of a family of controversial
businessmen accused of improper relations with Jacob Zuma, as the ruling
African National Congress (ANC) party continues its chaotic efforts to oust the
country’s president. The raid on the
compound of the wealthy Gupta family in Johannesburg came as the ANC said a
vote of no confidence in Zuma would be held on Thursday. It will be taken as an
encouraging sign that Cyril Ramaphosa, the new ANC leader, will move swiftly
against those associated with the corruption allegations and mismanagement that
have characterised Zuma’s nine years in power.
Hangwani Mulaudzi, a
spokesman for the police unit known as the Hawks, said the raid was part of an
investigation into allegations of influence-peddling in the government. “We’re viewing this investigation in a very
serious light. We’re not playing around in terms of making sure that those who
are responsible in the so-called state capture, they take responsibility for
it,” Mulaudzi said.
The Guptas are accused
of “state capture” by the public prosecutor, a constitutionally appointed
independent anti-corruption watchdog that coined the phrase to describe how the
family has allegedly used its friendship with Zuma to influence ministerial
appointments, secure multimillion-dollar government contracts and gain access
to inside information. The Guptas and Zuma deny any wrongdoing. A police officer at
the compound blocked access to the street in the upmarket suburb of Saxonwold,
saying: “This is a crime scene.”
Another raid in
Johannesburg targeted the home of the managing director of one of the principal
companies owned and run by the Guptas. Three arrests had been
made and two other suspects were expected to hand themselves in, police said,
adding that operations across the city were ongoing.
South Africa was
pitched into political crisis when the ANC admitted on Monday that Zuma
had defied
its orders to resign, and that it had little idea of when the 75-year-old
head of state would respond to its demand to leave office.
Jackson Mthembu, the
ANC’s chief whip, said parliament would vote on a no-confidence motion on
Thursday. “We would like to create certainty ... to help people [who are]
guessing what we are going to do next,” he said after a meeting of ANC lawmakers. The ANC has a majority
in parliament and opposition parties will not support Zuma. According to the
constitution, the president and the cabinet must resign if the no-confidence
motion passes… read more:
