The South African State Capture : A true conspiracy

Just an update with regards to the South African state capture and the parties involved...

The house of cards is slowly coming down, unfortunately the rotten core is still unaffected...

Bell Pottinger

The PR company Bell Pottinger will probably be closing its doors after it filed for administration in September 2017. This after they came clean about their dealings with the Gupta family and their role in stoking racial tensions in South Africa.

The September 2017 review by law firm Herbert Smith Freehills concluded that the firm had breached ethical standards, lacked appropriate policies for managing controversial accounts, and had brought the PR industry into disrepute, and the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) said the firm had received a "damning indictment", having breached four of its conduct charter clauses. The firm had previously stated that the allegations were purely a smear campaign having no truth to them.

On 4 September, the PRCA announced Bell Pottinger's expulsion. Francis Ingham, director-general of the PRCA, described the company's actions, which had incited racial hatred, as "absolutely unthinkable", saying Bell Pottinger had "brought the PR and communications industry into disrepute with its actions, and it has received the harshest possible sanctions."

Lord Bell, a founder of Bell Pottinger, told BBC Newsnight he believed it was unlikely the company could survive the damaging scandal. Following reports that Bell Pottinger had appointed accountancy firm BDO to find a buyer, on 7 September the BBC reported that staff had been told that the firm could go into administration by 15 September 2017. Subsequent reports suggested administration on 12 September, and so it proved, with some staff immediately being made redundant.
Source

Also:
PR Firm Bell Pottinger Collapses After Racial-Tensions Scandal
Bell Pottinger founder: 'Almost certainly curtains' for PR firm

KPMG

Auditing firm KPMG is still reeling from the effects of the scandal. Several senior personnel and executives are stepping down (or were fired) including CEO Trevor Hoole, COO Steven Louw, Mike Oddy (head of audit and a member), Muhammad Saloojee (head of tax and a board member), Herman de Beer (head of forensic and a board member), John Geel (head of deal advisory) and Mickey Bove (risk management partner for deal advisory). They are also losing one client after the other, and may very well end up closing KPMG SA's doors...

Auditing firm faces ruin as its reputation lies in tatters
Another firm dumps KPMG as Gupta fallout widens
KPMG and McKinsey feel the heat as graft scandal rocks SA

Gupta businesses

The Gupta family started to sell their businesses (or business interests) in South Africa. However, many of the deals are very questionable and it may just all be a smokescreen.

On Monday, the family announced that it had sold its 24-hour news station ANN7 and The New Age (TNA) for a combined R450million to controversial ex-government spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi in a vendor finance option. The deal was followed a day later by the disposal of Tegeta for R2.97bn to a Switzerland-based businessman, with more assets expected to be sold off in the coming days and months.
Source

It's worth mentioning that Mzwanele Manyi is in no financial position to purchase the news station and newspaper for US$34 million. Considering that this is the house he lives in:



He is most probably just a front for the Guptas.

Further:

The Gupta family's holding company Oakbay Investments announced on Wednesday that it reached an agreement to sell its Tegeta Exploration and Resources business.

Tegeta, which comprises three coal mines, was sold to the Swiss-based Charles King SA for R2.97-billion.
Source

BUT

...PricewaterhouseCoopers had found that the contract was badly and hastily drafted, with clauses apparently cut and pasted from elsewhere...

Further:

The Guptas may sell their biggest asset in the information communication technology sector, Sahara Computers, according to Tech Central.
...
According to sources that spoke with TechCentral Sahara has been retrenching their staff but the company executives have been tight lipped.. Different sources that are apart of the technology distribution channel have said that Sahara may retrench staff.
Source

More:
MPs fear Guptas are selling assets as part of plan to skip country
Swift sale of Gupta family empire in South Africa raises eyebrows

It is unknown where the Gupta brothers are or what their endgame plan is.

Duduzane Zuma
Duduzane Zuma (the President's son) has been feeling some heat but has escaped most of the backlash.

All my bank accounts have been closed, says angry Duduzane Zuma.
In an open letter to former finance minister Pravin Gordhan, the president’s son says he is selling his shares in Gupta-linked companies to clear his name.
...
The Save SA campaign has described the letter as a "bizarre attempt to deflect attention away from increasing evidence against him and his cronies of their central role in state capture and corruption. Rather than explain his role in this‚ he resorts to intimidation‚ incitement and hate speech‚ in a style that is increasingly becoming the trademark of the Zuma family."
Source

Duduzane Zuma, the son of President Jacob Zuma, says he is in the process of selling his shares in Gupta-owned Oakbay companies.
Duduzane Zuma has been deeply immersed in the Gupta family and their businesses, leaked Gupta e-mails show.
They tell of the family helping him buy an expensive home in Dubai, organising and paying for his wedding and solving problems in his personal life.
He has been a director of 21 companies, but has resigned from the boards of most of them in the past year. He is still a director of seven companies that seem to have stopped trading.
...
Source

[/continued]

Jacob Zuma

So how has all of this affected the President - Jacob Zuma - and his apparent involvement?

He is still walking around a free man, unscathed by all of this. Like a cockroach after a nuclear war.

On 8 August 2017 there were yet another "Vote of no confidence" in parliament to get rid of the corrupt president, which he bizarrely survived.

President Jacob Zuma has survived a motion of no confidence in his presidency, held via secret ballot in Parliament.
Following a two-hour debate and lengthy voting process, 198 MPs voted against the Democratic Alliance's bid to remove Zuma, while 177 voted for.
About 30 ANC MPs voted for Zuma to be removed.
A simple majority of 201 votes was required to remove Zuma as president.
...
Source

Even so Zuma's time in office is nearing its end as the ruling party, the ANC, will be deciding on their next leader in December 2017 before the 2019 election year.

The lead up to the ANC’s elective leadership conference in December this year has seen many twists and turns.
...
There are basically three post-December 2017 scenarios.

The first is a Dlamini-Zuma victory (“NDZ”), after which the ANC will probably split – and struggle to secure 50% at the polls in 2019. Following which, corruption will persist and economic growth will remain low.

The second is a Ramaphosa victory (“CR17”), after which the ANC could split, but probably not – and where getting 50% at the ballot box could be a little easier. Further, corruption will be tackled and the economy will slowly improve.

The third is the “unity scenario”, whereby there will be either a loser Deputy President and the ANC will paper over the cracks (and struggle at the ballot box), or a compromise candidate may be elected as President, with new possibilities for anti-corruption initiatives, as well as the economy.
...
Source

There are currently two main candidates as described above. Cyril Ramaphosa - the current deputy president, and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma one of Jacob Zuma's ex-wives.

Cyril Ramaphosa played a valuable roll when apartheid ended, was elected the chairperson of the parliament's Constitutional Assembly on 24 May 1994 and played a central role in the government of national unity. He was also Nelson Mandela's choice to be his successor as President. During the 2000's he was a successful businessman, but has a black dot against his name as his name came up during the Marikana massacre investigations.
The problem is also that he never showed any backbone by standing up against Jacob Zuma's corruption. Well, that's not entirely true. He did stand up against Zuma once or twice, but retracted his statements again the following day.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma - or "Mini Zuma" - is very much involved in the state capture, and if she is elected president, the current state of things in SA will simply go on as it is currently going, with Jacob Zuma (and the Guptas) ruling from behind the curtain.

There is no way of telling what will happen. The thing is that the ruling party, the ANC, is clearly a broken party - undoubtedly caused by Jacob Zuma's leadership. Or rather "leadership".

On a final note, it's worth mentioning that Jacob Zuma is once again in court regarding the 783 charges of corruption against him - brought up in 2009, but which was mysteriously and unceremoniously dropped just before he became president.

The court proceedings will take very long - and the actual court case will probably only appear on the court roll long after we have a new president. The problem is however that Zuma's lawyers is playing a game to leave the decision of what should happen with the 783 charges of corruption up to the Nation Prosecuting Authority. This became apparent when Zuma's lawyers conceded that the NPA shouldn't have dropped the charges in 2009...
The thing is: in charge of the NPA is naturally Shaun Abrahams - whom we know is riding in Jacob Zuma's back pocket. Zuma would apply for a permanent stay of prosecution, which Abrahams would be expected to grant. So, we're not holding our breaths here...

Zuma expected to try to ward off corruption charges
Zuma’s lawyers, NPA concede decision to drop corruption charges was ‘irrational’
Why Zuma won't get his day in court

And there you have it... The house of cards slowly coming down - but the rotten core still there... Who knows what will happen next. Interesting times though...

Any time there's a chance for meaningful change the politicians and business interests cover each other butts. Just like they do over here the United States. Only difference being the level of corruption as it seems to be business as usual for SA so nobody bats an eye.

I knew the Unity government would not be nearly as good as the apartheid government but I never dreamed it could be so much worse. It's more like an on-going house robbery where the thieves keep coming back in and the police wink at them as they pass. Sad times for Afrikaners. I pray something improves.

Just a new update... Today is a good day:

Gupta arrest warrant imminent

The Hawks have obtained warrants for the arrest of at least one of the Gupta brothers.

The unit is now waiting for prosecutors at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to sign off the warrants so that the arrests can be effected.

A senior Hawks official told City Press on Monday evening that a magistrate had issued warrants of arrest for at least one of the Gupta brothers as well as an undisclosed number of the family’s associates.
...

And so a new day dawns.

a reply to: Gemwolf

My mate was telling me the other day about the Indians in South Africa, Durban where he has a house and lives sometimes. He reckons they are quite a wealthy group in that region. Mostly Hindus.

a reply to: Gemwolf

Is it a possibility that the Guptas might flee?

Thank you for posting the update to this story!

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

I was thinking the exact same thing - I think the chances are very good. The last time things got pretty hot for them it was said that they jumped on their private jet with suitcases full of cash and supposedly diamonds and made a break for Dubai. They sneaked back in when things calmed down a bit...

a reply to: Gemwolf

Hopefully they've anticipated this and taken steps to prevent them from pulling the same disappearing act again.

Missed this thread, thank you for the update, although small steps it is moving in the right direction and not stagnating.

Agreed that they will attempt to flee.

a reply to: Gemwolf

Hi Gemwolf, I've just posted related info from BBC website 9 hours ago of Lord Hain asking in the House of Lords for investigations into Hogan Lovell, related to a "whitewash" investigation they did into SA Revenue service Jonas Makwakwa.

Not sure how to link within ATS from another thread but it's on p.253

a reply to: RelSciHistItSufi

Here is a Guardian article for reference:

City law firm Hogan Lovells has been accused of helping enable the Gupta brothers’ “state capture”, and corruption in South Africa.

Peter Hain, a former Labour cabinet minister and veteran anti-apartheid campaigner, told the House of Lords on Monday that he had reported Hogan Lovells to the UK’s Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) over concerns that the firm produced a “fatally flawed whitewash” report into claims of money laundering at the South African tax agency.

Lord Hain said the flawed report made the firm “complicit in undermining South Africa’s once revered tax-collection agency, and thereby effectively underpinning President Jacob Zuma and his business associates, the Gupta brothers and others, in perverting South Africa’s democracy, damaging its economy and robbing its taxpayers”.

Here is the particular post to which RelSciHistItSufi is referring.

a reply to: RelSciHistItSufi

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

Thanks for the info. It's quite disturbing the amount of British companies that seem to be involved...