JOHANNESBURG - On Monday, a report by City Press cited that senior officials in investigative unit, the Hawks, had secured warrants to arrest one of the Gupta brothers and his associates and were waiting for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to sign off on the warrants.
The charges stem from the Public Protector's report into state capture. South Africa’s companies registry office said on Wednesday that it would be pursuing criminal complaints against SAP, KPMG and McKinsey on suspicion that business they conducted with friends of President Jacob Zuma contravened the companies act.
In wake of the reports, the Democratic Alliance has appealed to ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa to issue an alert to South African borders and airports to stop members of the Gupta family from possibly attempting to flee the country, ahead of the reported "imminent arrests".
Acting Head of Operations, Advocate Knorx Molelle on Tuesday said The Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) was attempting to seize at least R50bn in 17 cases related to state capture, in it's current investigation. The December 14 order, obtained by the NPA in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, seeks to freeze assets worth an estimated R1.6 billion from Gupta-linked companies.
Those named in the court order include Trillion CEO Eric Wood, Trillain CFO, Tebogo Leballo, Senior partner and managing partner at McKinsey, Jean Pierre Goerges Desvaux and Prakash Parbhoo, a partner at McKinsey.
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The court order also identifies Trillian property in Johannesburg; Gupta-linked, Trillian Capital Partners is also on the hook for allegedly scoring an illicit contract from Eskom.
Others mentioned in the order include: Veronica Magwentshu, Thabiso Legoete, Johannes Faure, Daniel Roy, Trillian Capital Partners, Trillian Finanical Advisory, Trillian Management Consulting, Trillian Properties, Trillian Securities, McKinsey and Company Africa, and "any other person who becomes known to the applicant as having an interest in the property.
The court order states the appointment of Durban-based Medwin Madoda Sifiso Nxumalo as the official curator who will have the duties and authority to "assume control of the property and do any and all things necessary to preserve the property while the order is in force".
Cosatu has expressed hope that the freezing of assets will see the 'beginning of end' of the Gupta patronage network.