State capture report ‘riddled with errors’: Oakbay lawyer

·3 Nov 2016

The legal team representing Gupta-owned Oakbay Investments says that the initial reading of the former Public Protector’s report into alleged state capture is “riddled with errors”.

Taking the company’s response to the front page of The New Age – the Gupta-run newspaper – the Oakbay lawyer said that he would need more time to study the 355 page document, but said it was evident that there were flaws in the presented evidence.

Specifically, there were errors around Oakbay’s involvement in acquiring Optimum coal mine, while the report stated as fact that the Guptas had met with deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas and former MP Vytie Mentor, while the family insists these meetings never took place.

According to the lawyer, Oakbay welcomes the Public Protector’s order to set up a judicial commission of enquiry to investigate the matter, where the company, and the family will respond to the allegations and clear their name.

The state capture report released on Wednesday presented damning findings implicating the Gupta family and president Jacob Zuma and several ministers in a web of influence, impacting the department of finance, Eskom, SAA, and National Treasury.

The most damning finding was the deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas was offered the position of finance minister months ahead of former minister Nhlanhla Nene being fired – and when Jonas refused, cellphone records place Des van Rooyen at the Gupta residence days before he took up the position.

It was also found that government advertising was deliberately channeled to The New Age, and that the Gupta family enjoyed undue benefits and ‘special attention’, with Cabinet getting involved in their personal business affairs.