ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe says that the ruling party has full confidence in president Jacob Zuma, despite a scandal around his relationship with the Gupta family, and their alleged attempts at state capture.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a press conference in Pretoria on Sunday evening following a meeting by the party’s top brass, the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC), Mantashe said that the orginisation had conducted ‘frank and robust discussions’ on the serious allegations surrounding the Gupta family.<\/p>\n
Read: The ANC hit list: the alleged \u201canti-Zuma brigade\u201d named<\/a><\/p>\n Former chair of Parliament\u2019s Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, Vytjie Mentor, publicly revealed this week that she was offered the job of Minister of Public Enterprises by the Guptas on one condition: she \u201cdrops the SAA flight-route to India and give to them\u201d.<\/p>\n Mentor further alleged that president Zuma was on the Guptas Saxonwold premises at the time, in a room next door.<\/p>\n Mentor\u2019s utterances have led to several ANC members speaking out on similar encounters with the Guptas, including Deputy Finance Minister, Mcebisi Jonas, Public Service and Administration Minister, Ngoako Ramathlodi and former Public Enterprises Minister, Barbara Hogan.<\/p>\n The Gupta family have denied having any such meetings.<\/p>\n Analysts speculated that the ANC might recall president Zuma in order to prevent any further damage to its reputation, however the party noted as early as Friday when the conference began, that a recall was not on the agenda.<\/p>\n Mantashe said that the ANC NEC ‘rejects the notion of any business or family group seeking such influence over the ANC with the contempt it deserves’.<\/p>\n He reiterated that the appointment of ministers and deputy ministers is the sole prerogative of the President of the Republic, in line with the constitution.<\/p>\n “To this end, the ANC NEC continues to confirm its full confidence in our President,” he said.<\/p>\n Mantashe said that the possibility of Zuma stepping down was not even raised during the meeting.<\/p>\n He said that the ANC calls on all members who have information to approach the Secretary General\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n More on the ANC<\/strong><\/p>\n Guptas respond to Jonas \u2018state capture\u2019 revelations<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cGuptas did offer me the job of Finance Minister\u201d: Jonas<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n