By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has denied meeting with Gupta lieutenant Salim Essa’s business partner during the Dubai Expo in December.
The defiant Sisulu labelled the media reports as a “sponsored smear campaign” that would not succeed.
“I did not have anything to do with the Gupta (sic) here in the country, why would I be smudged with them on a worthy responsibility that I had undertaken during Tourism Month at an International Expo?” she asked.
“I have an impeccable track record of fighting corruption and no amount of propaganda will erase this.”
According to the Daily Maverick, Sisulu met with Hamza Farooqui, said to be Essa’s business partner, and three other businesspeople. In a published photograph by the news site, Sisulu is seen sitting at a table flanked by two men.
Essa is at the heart of state capture along with the three Gupta brothers Atul, Ajay and Rajesh. The family is accused of raking in billions in public funds through intricate business dealings and money laundering, assisted by politically connected individuals during former president Jacob Zuma’s tenure.
State-owned enterprises such as Eskom and Transnet were milked by the highly influential family and their associates.
Essa’s name featured in multiple Gupta business dealings during the state capture commission. His lawyers wrote to Zondo, accusing the commission of defaming his client.
Efforts by the commission to get Essa to appear and provide his version yielded no results.
Sisulu, who was recently criticised for attacking the country’s constitution and the judiciary, said she has been in politics long enough and that any attempts to tarnish her image was “laughable”.
“Clearly some in the media are on a fishing spree for nefarious reasons and the pictures they have been using as those of a Gupta ally are unfortunately of a member of the Royal family and CEO of Emirates airline. This is the same media that when Minister Sisulu needs them on the side of what’s good for the country, they are nowhere to be found,” said her spokesperson Steve Motale.
She is running for ANC president at the party’s elective conference pencilled in for December 2022.
The Guptas and Essa are still deeply engaged in South African politics and covet a return under a different administration, but there is no indication she met them. In all their business forays in India, sub-Saharan Africa and central Asia, they have never amassed the rapid and easy fortunes they made in the high era of state capture in South Africa.