Pretoria - The SANDF has no case to answer on the use of an aircraft owned by the controversial Gupta family to transport Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and his delegation on a recent trip to Japan.
This is according to Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who told the media on Friday that the defence force and political principals would not have known the jet was owned by the Guptas through a company in which President Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane, was a director.
Mapisa-Nqakula said it was unfortunate that the use of the aircraft was being linked to the infamous landing of an aircraft at the Air Force Base Waterkloof in 2013.
The minister has defended the use of the aircraft, saying there were no indications that any procurement process had been violated.
She said ExecuJet, the company that supplied the aircraft, had done so as it was the only one available that could meet the requirements of the Japan trip, which included minimum fuel stops and enough capacity for the delegation.
She said the first company on the list of those who could charter an aircraft for the trip did not have aircraft that suited the requirements.
“The second company on the list, which was ExecuJet, was approached and they had the Global Express aircraft available which could complete the flight with only one refuelling stop, as well as carry the required amount of passengers,” said Mapisa-Nqakula.
Reports emerged this week that the Bombadier Aerospace, with registration ZS-OAK, was owned by the Gupta family through Westdawn Investments, a company in which Duduzane Zuma is a director.
The jet was procured through a ExecuJet, a company that has a contract with the Treasury.
But Mapisa-Nqakula insisted on Friday that there was nothing untoward about the matter.
“If you were saying the defence force went to the Gupta family and said provide us with an aircraft, that would be a different matter.
“People are bringing back the matter of the landing of an aircraft at (Air Force Base) Waterkloof, and now you are linking the two. I think we must be honest about it.
“There is no case for the SA National Defence Force to answer here, and there is no case for the principals to answer,” said Mapisa-Nqakula.
She said there was never a direct effort to ensure the aircraft was procured from the Guptas, and that government would have had no knowledge about the ownership of the aircraft.
“What was important, and is always important is the safety and comfort of our principals.
“The fact that the aircraft belonged to whoever, is another matter.
“There shouldn’t be an impression created to South Africans that the defence went out to get an aircraft from a particular grouping of people. There is nothing like that. You cannot fault us on this one,” she said.
She said ExecuJet was under no obligation to disclose the ownership of the aircraft it provided for use by the SANDF, and had not done so in this case.
Reports of the aircraft belonging to the Guptas, a wealthy and influential family which is known to have close ties to the president, were condemned by opposition parties this week.
The EFF described the saga as indicative of the executive’s arrogance, while the DA called for an investigation into the matter.
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