Calls emerge for action to prevent Gupta family from fleeing S. Africa

CAPE TOWN, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) on Tuesday called for immediate action to prevent the Indian Gupta family from fleeing South Africa ahead of their reported imminent arrests.

South Africa should not allow the Guptas to leave the country, and certainly not with the assistance of the government, the DA said in response to reports that warrants of arrest are being prepared for at least one Gupta brother and an undisclosed number of the family's associates.

On Tuesday, the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) started the process to serve a summon on the Gupta family and freeze its assets to the tune of 1.6 billion rand (about 130 million U.S. dollars).

Under a court order, the AFU would freeze the assets of the Guptas pending the outcome of their prosecution. After they have been successfully prosecuted, the assets will be permanently forfeited to the state.

The Guptas are being investigated for its alleged collaboration with President Jacob Zuma and a number of senior government officials in looting the state coffers, through the awarding of lucrative contracts with state-owned enterprises to Gupta-linked families, known as state capture.

Two companies -- the Gupta-linked Trillian company and international consultancy giant McKinsey --reportedly were sommoned on Tuesday. They are linked with corruption involving the controversial Gupta family.

A special anti-crime unit, known as the Hawks, has obtained warrants for the arrest of at least one of the Gupta brothers, according to the City Press newspaper.

The unit is now waiting for prosecutors at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to sign off the warrants so that the arrests can be effected, the report said.

But the report did not identify those facing the arrest warrants. The Gupta brothers include elder brother Ajay, as well as Atul, and the younger brother Rajesh, also known as Tony.

Despite the reported arrest warrants, the whereabouts of the Guptas remain unknown.

"Our borders should be urgently secured to prevent the Guptas from slipping through the net. It is unlikely that the Gupta family will sit and wait for their arrest," DA leader Mmusi Maimane said.

There is a strong possibility that the Guptas will attempt to flee the country, if they have not done so already, said Maimane.

Since Zuma is deeply compromised and implicated in this matter through his well-known relationship with the Guptas and their joint state capture efforts, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, as second in command, ought to take action in the best interests of the country, Maimane said.

Ramaphosa has been extremely vocal in condemning state capture and corruption, therefore he must act without delay, Maimane said.

Maimane called on South Africans who have information about the whereabouts of the Guptas to come forward and alert the authorities. Enditem