State capture, money leaving the country illegally, questionable Eskom coal contracts: these are stories that Oakbay CEO Nazeem Howa thinks the media get wrong every time when reporting on the Guptas.<\/p>\n
In an exclusive interview with News24, Howa, a former journalist who is despondent about journalism, challenges the narrative:<\/p>\n
In 2016, South Africa\u2019s banks blacklisted all Gupta-owned companies, which Howa has tried with all his might to change. \u201cUnfortunately we have had no progress,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s one of the saddest things in my life\u2026 To see the banks act in this way is really\u2026 sad for me. To date, we don\u2019t know why they\u2019ve done it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve met with two of the banks that were willing to meet with us and not one of them can tell me what it is that we\u2019ve done wrong, other than broad statements,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this point, we do not have a South African bank. We are using one of the foreign banks and we\u2019re using them in a makeshift way to keep the doors open.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe shareholders have stepped away,\u201d said Howa. \u201cI chair an executive committee. We take the day-to-day business decisions.\u201d Howa later said that the \u201cshareholders\u201d also have rights. \u201cAs CEO, I need to brief them on a regular basis about what\u2019s happening in the business.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe amazing thing for me is their view is essentially, \u2018great job, go ahead.\u2019 On the odd occasion where I\u2019ve looked for advice, they\u2019ve said to me: \u2018it\u2019s your decision\u2019, which places a huge onus on us to get the business right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Howa said non-white companies get over-scrutinised when they enter an industry like mining, and people can\u2019t understand why they could be better than the white-owned companies. \u201cThe difficulty facing us is when you \u2013 my apologies for saying it \u2013 when you are not white and you come into that environment, people always question how you are going to do that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to do it through hard work, through innovation, through entrepreneurship.\u2026 The amount of times we\u2019ve been questioned, ‘if so-and-so couldn\u2019t do it, how can you do it’? We bring a different approach to our business. We bring a different kind of excitement around the business.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur expectation is that we should have the same rights as anybody else to bid for Eskom,\u201d he said. \u201cDon\u2019t, because you want to link us to (the) Guptas or Zuma, exclude us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c(It\u2019s) absolute rubbish, absolute nonsense, I nearly used a word that you would have to bleep out,\u201d he said. \u201c(The unconfirmed reports come) at a stage when we thought we were coming out of a storm and hoping we can mend fences, fix our relationships with banks and then get back to normal. We want to run our business. We don\u2019t want to be involved in politics.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me make it very, very clear. In the 26 years that we\u2019ve (Oakbay) been in operation, not one single cent has left the country.\u2026 I am very surprised that they have that kind of detailed access to our bank accounts first of all. There is no investigation that I am aware of, there is no wrongdoing that I am aware of. If there is any wrongdoing, I am prepared to take responsibility for it. Show us where you have evidence of wrongdoing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Regarding allegations of the Guptas leaving South Africa for Dubai with suitcases filled with cash, Howa said one should look at the \u201cscience of it\u201d. \u201cOur biggest denomination is R200 notes. Try and fit that amount of notes on a (Boeing) 737. But no journalist thinks that far,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s deal with this issue of state capture,\u201d he said. \u201cThe issue of state capture is absolute nonsense.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo allow journalists through their coverage to bully us into submission is not going to happen,\u201d he added. \u201cWe will continue to grow our business.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked if Oakbay and Tegeta would bid for more Eskom contracts, Howa said: \u201cWe are going to be on the hunt.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fin24<\/a><\/p>\n Eskom\u2019s \u2018quiet\u2019 R564 million Gupta bailout: report<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Mining minister denies Gupta links<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Gupta newspapers still drawing a fortune from government<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore onOakbay<\/h3>\n