Gigaba: Ajay, Atul Gupta not SA citizens - AS IT HAPPENED
2018-03-06 13:49Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has clarified that controversial Gupta brothers Ajay and Atul are not South African citizens.
Guptas granted citizenship due to 'investments, social partnerships'
Then Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize said in September the Guptas were granted citizenship based on business investments and social partnerships with 75 North West schools, among other things.
Mkhize was replying to EFF MP Hlengiwe Hlophe's parliamentary question. Hlophe had asked what the "exceptional business circumstances" were that led to the family being granted citizenship.
The decision was based on a motivation letter written by the family through their company, Oakbay Investments.
"The consideration to grant citizenship to the family was based on the business investments and social partnerships as highlighted in the Oakbay company letter," Mkhize replied to Hlophe
Gigaba pushed through Guptas' SA citizenship - EFF
The Economic Freedom Fighters revealed at the time that Gigaba waved the residential requirements for the applications of Ajay Gupta, his wife Shivani, mother Angoori, and sons Kamal Kant Singhala and Surya Kant Singhala, for naturalisation and granted it to them early.
Home Affairs admits 'omitting' to declare Guptas' naturalisation to Parliament
The department of home affairs, while continuing to insist that the naturalisation of Gupta family members was done within the ambit of the law, has conceded that "it was an omission" to not openly declare the naturalisation to Parliament.
Gigaba did nothing wrong granting Guptas citizenship - Mkhize
Minister Malusi Gigaba did nothing wrong in granting the Gupta family South African citizenship, said then home affairs minister Hlengiwe Mkhize in June.
“I have looked at all the documentation and I thought if I was in similar position I would have considered the request in a favourable manner,” Mkhize said.
There was thus no need to investigate the matter further.
I handled Gupta citizenship applications 'by the book' - Gigaba
Minister Malusi Gigaba has confirmed that the letters circulated on social media granting the Gupta family South African citizenship are genuine.
"I have requested the department of home affairs to provide chronological details of how all applications by the Gupta family have been handled by the department of home affairs from the beginning," Gigaba said in a statement.
