S. African opposition tables motion against minister over Gupta saga

CAPE TOWN, March 8 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) on Thursday tabled a substantive motion in Parliament against Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba over his alleged ties with the controversial Indian Gupta family.

The DA wants Gigaba to be referred to Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members Interests for misleading Parliament and the nation about the naturalization of the Guptas.

The motion will allow Parliament to sanction Gigaba after he was accused of lying about the South African citizenship of Gupta brothers, Ajay Gupta and Atul Gupta who are wanted by South African police for looting the state coffers in collaboration with officials.

The motion came after Gigaba stated on Wednesday that neither Ajay Gupta nor Atul Gupta are South African citizens as Ajay did not renounce Indian citizenship and Atul never applied for South African citizenship.

But several reports indicate that Atul Gupta does have a South African passport and identity number, ending in the digits 080 that are only assigned to South African citizens.

"The DA can also confirm that Atul Gupta, Arti Gupta, Shivani Gupta, Rajesh Gupta are all registered voters on our voter registration system," said DA Shadow Minister of Home Affairs Haniff Hoosen.

New information available to the DA also reveals that several more members of the Gupta family were granted South African citizenship, Hoosen said.

This was not revealed to Parliament as is required by law, he said.

Last December, the High Court in Pretoria found that Gigaba "deliberately told untruths under oath" about the Gupta citizenship.

The court ruled that Gigaba has committed a breach of the Constitution so serious that it can be characterized as a violation.

"South Africans have a right to know all information pertaining to the Gupta family citizenship fiasco and for those implicated to be held accountable," Hoosen said.

On Wednesday, Gigaba failed to appear before Parliament to answer questions, saying he was ill. Enditem