Police raided the home of South Africa’s powerful Gupta business family on Wednesday amid a stand-off between President Jacob Zuma and the ruling African National Congress that has ordered him to resign.
Body-armoured officers of the Hawks, a specialist anti-corruption unit, entered the Johannesburg residence of the three Indian-born brothers, who have a long friendship with Mr Zuma, at dawn. A spokesman for the Hawks said that three people had so far been arrested and two other suspects were due to hand themselves in.The raid is the latest sign of the collapse of Zuma’s influence since Cyril Ramaphosa defeated the president’s preferred candidate to become leader of the ANC in December. Mr Zuma, whose nine years in office have been dogged by scandal, was accused of using the Hawks and state prosecutors to intimidate his political foes, while in effect giving his allies impunity.
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| South African Police Arrest 3 In Raid On Zuma Allies |
Ajay, Atul and Tony Gupta are accused of using their friendship with Mr Zuma to win state contracts and influence political appointments A former deputy finance minister alleged that members of the family offered him the Treasury’s top job and R600,000.
The Guptas and the president have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Local media reported that at least one Gupta brother and a family associate were arrested in Wednesday’s raid.
The ANC formally ordered Mr Zuma to resign on Tuesday and the president is expected to respond on Wednesday. He has resisted a fortnight of intense pressure to step down. Although no party member has ever refused an order by the ANC to leave a state post, the instruction has no legal force because Mr Zuma was elected by parliament.
