Black First Land First (BLF) leader Andile Mngxitama went cap in hand, asking for financial backing from the Gupta family last year‚ leaked e-mails show.
Reports have alleged that the former EFF MP might be bankrolled by the Guptas‚ but have been strenuously denied‚ although he has actively supported the family and their company in public.
Mngxitama has consistently denied he was funded by the family‚ most recently on May 14 during BLF’s first-year anniversary event in Soweto. "There is no slight evidence to back up these claims that are being made by agents of white monopoly capital‚ by the people who are controlled from London and by people funded by newspapers‚" EWN quoted him as saying.
But he certainly went to them and asked for money‚ according to the e-mails.
In e-mail exchanges‚ dated 2016‚ with then Oakbay CEO Nazeem Howa‚ Mngxitama expresses gratitude to Howa, referring to a meeting they recently had. In the e-mails, seen by The Times‚ Mngxitama writes: "Brother Nazeem it was good to meet and to learn a bit more about your thinking and the truth around this renewed attacks from imperialism and its agents. Keep strong and keep doing the right thing."
Howa forwarded the e-mail to Atul Gupta informing him that Mngxitama had requested funding. "Hope all is well your side. I met with this fellow. He wrote a good piece about us in Sunday Indy this past weekend. He wants funding for his organisation. I explained that as business people‚ we have taken [a] conscious decision to stay out of politics‚" the e-mail reads.
Without responding to the e-mail‚ Atul Gupta forwards it to a "Shivani" and Tony Gupta.
Further e-mails indicate that Mngxitama met with another Sahara employee‚ Santosh Choubey‚ at least once in March 2016. Choubey told The Times on Wednesday that he used to work in sales and marketing at Sahara‚ the Gupta-owned computer company. "I have no recollection of any of this. I no longer work there‚" he said.
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The leaked documents suggest an exchange of at least 10 e-mails between Choubey and Mngxitama between February and March‚ the final exchange confirming a meeting at a restaurant in Sandton.
Attempts to solicit comment from Mngxitama drew a blank as his phone went unanswered. He also did not respond to an SMS sent to him and his phone was subsequently switched off.
The Times also called BLF deputy president Zanele Lwana‚ who doubles as its spokesperson‚ for comment from Mngxitama‚ without success. Lwana‚ however‚ said: "You know that these stories that you have been writing are based on fake e-mails".
Sunday Times/The Times
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