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This is why Zuma and the Gupta's want Gordhan gone
The Sunday Times is about to publish a sensational story.
It explains why Gordhan has become public enemy number one for Zuma and the Guptas.
What Gordhan - and the Treasury - have been doing is to meticulously record the financial transactions of the Gupta family when they enter the public record.
The information is about to come to light because Gordhan has filed court papers arguing why he could not intervene when the Gupta family asked him to do so when their bank accounts with major SA banks were closed.
The Sunday Times has obtained those court papers (all the best stories come out the courts) and written its lead story based on their content.
The Financial Intelligence Centre documents that trace the transactions are expected to reveal a number of things.
Here's a précis of what will be revealed that has been compiled by sister publication, BusinessLIVE:
- A series of transaction totaling R98-million by Atul Gupta in four years;
- How the Guptas were at their busiest between February and April when they moved money between their various accounts, raising suspicions of money laundering; and,
- How between February 29 and April 6, the FIC received 25 suspicious transaction reports showing multiple transactions. Incidentally, this is the period that the family was coming under a lot of pressure politically.
This explains the sudden and furious effort to dislodge Gordhan and replace him with a compliant minister who will turn a blind eye to these transactions.
What is missing from this puzzle is SARS. Has SARS investigated these suspicious transactions? If not, why not?
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