Pretoria - The controversial landing of the Gupta jet at the Waterkloof Air Force Base might come up at the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting being held in Pretoria this weekend.
The event in which a plane with more than 200 guests arrived at the national key point for the Gupta wedding, has resulted in a multi-departmental probe and will be debated in Parliament next week.
It has caused some embarrassment for the ANC, given the Guptas’ close relationship with President Jacob Zuma and the wealthy family’s links with powerful ANC leaders and government ministers.
ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said on Friday the issue was not on the agenda of the meeting, nor was it in the national working committee report that will be discussed at the meeting.
However, Mthembu said he could not rule out the chance that it could be raised during the weekend-long meeting, where Zuma is expected to present a political overview.
“It is not on the agenda, but it may come up. I am not saying it is not going to be discussed, I’m saying it is not on the agenda but I can’t say whether it will come up or not because the meeting has not started, I’m not a sangoma,” said Mthembu.
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe was among the first ANC leaders to criticise the controversial landing of the plane at the air force base, calling on government officials to explain how this was allowed to happen.
Several ministers who attended the wedding, despite the controversy and bad publicity it caused, are expected to attend the meeting, including Public Enterprise Minister Malusi Gigaba, who was spotted at the meeting on Friday.
Parliament will debate the matter in the general assembly next Wednesday, with the relevant ministers involved in the saga expected to be grilled by opposition politicians on the saga and the broader implication of Zuma’s relationship with the Guptas.
Pretoria News