Share

Gigaba was 'incorrect' to naturalise Guptas, committee finds

The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs found that former Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba was "incorrect" to grant members of the Gupta family early naturalisation, but did not recommend any sanctions.

The committee recommended that criminal charges be laid against Gupta lieutenant Ashu Chawla and members of the Gupta family "relating to false information submitted in their early naturalisation applications".

It also recommended that the matter be brought before the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture. 

Parliament instructed the committee to conduct an investigation into the early naturalisation of Ajay Gupta, his wife Shivani, mother Angoori, and sons Kamal Kant Singhala and Surya Kant Singhala. The naturalisation applications were made during Gigaba's first stint in the home affairs portfolio.

READ: Exclusive: How Gigaba ignored a legal opinion on challenging the Gupta's citizenship

The committee's report was tabled on Thursday and distributed on Monday.

It is expected to go to the National Assembly for consideration and adoption this week.

Fraudulent

"The application for early naturalisation, approved by former Minister Gigaba, of Ajay Gupta's family was incorrect," read one of the committee's observations in the report.

"The Ajay Gupta family early naturalisation application was fraudulent based, amongst others, on falsified social contribution documents to schools in the North West used by Mr Chawla on behalf of the family as support for their early naturalisation applications," read the report.

The committee recommended that the Minister of Home Affairs should consider revoking the family's citizenship due to the "misrepresentation of social contributions as well as improper procedure being followed as far as the renunciation of Indian nationality".

"Mr Ashu Chawla's fraudulent and corrupt activities related to both early naturalisation as well as facilitating illegal visas for Indian nationals should be considered by the minister as grounds for the revocation of Ashu Chawla's South African citizenship in terms of section 8(1) of the Citizenship Act," the report read further.

"The significant irregularities identified in this report's observations regarding the citizenship and immigration services at the Department of Home Affairs in relation to the Gupta Family and associates, could amount to state capture and warrants that this report be referred by Parliament to the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture for further investigation."

'No sway'

When Gigaba appeared before the committee's inquiry in October 2018, he said he visited members of the Gupta family for "social cohesion" reasons, but insisted that they had no sway over him.

"During my tenure, I, at no stage, assisted the Gupta family, or any other private interest group, to capture the state," Gigaba told the committee at a late-night meeting.

Despite the Constitutional Court upholding a ruling that he lied under oath, Gigaba is on the ANC's list for the National Assembly in the upcoming elections.

More to follow. 

READ: Magashule confirms Dlamini, Mokonyane, Gigaba make ANC's national assembly list

KEEP UPDATED on the latest news by subscribing to our FREE newsletter.

- FOLLOW News24 on Twitter

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Can radio hosts and media personalities be apolitical?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes, impartiality is key for public trust
32% - 70 votes
No, let's be real, we all have inherent biases
68% - 148 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
19.24
-0.4%
Rand - Pound
23.86
-0.2%
Rand - Euro
20.45
-0.3%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.31
-0.0%
Rand - Yen
0.12
-0.6%
Platinum
948.20
-0.2%
Palladium
1,023.50
-0.6%
Gold
2,381.89
+0.1%
Silver
28.22
-0.0%
Brent Crude
87.11
-0.2%
Top 40
67,190
0.0%
All Share
73,271
0.0%
Resource 10
63,297
0.0%
Industrial 25
98,419
0.0%
Financial 15
15,480
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE