D-Day for Guptagate report

The Jet Airways Airbus A330-200 chartered by the Gupta family. File photo: Phill Magakoe

The Jet Airways Airbus A330-200 chartered by the Gupta family. File photo: Phill Magakoe

Published May 19, 2013

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Johannesburg -

Justice Minister Jeff Radebe was on Sunday due to announce the preliminary findings of an investigation into the landing of a privately chartered plane at the Waterkloof Air Force Base, the Sunday Times reported.

The newspaper reported that Radebe and his team had briefed the ANC national executive committee (NEC) on Saturday about the contents of the investigation report.

On April 29, a plane chartered by the Gupta family, carrying 270 wedding guests, landed at Waterkloof.

Guests were attending the wedding of Vega Gupta, 23, and Indian-born Aakash Jahajgarhia at Sun City. The landing sparked widespread criticism.

Government said the landing at the national key point was unauthorised and initiated a probe into a possible breach of diplomatic protocol.

The Sunday Times reported that as the NEC on Saturday discussed the political fallout relating to the landing, President Jacob Zuma's allies shielded him from criticism.

Lindiwe Zulu, Zuma's special adviser on international relations was quoted as saying: “The criticism is beyond the issue of the plane landing...It's just the continued onslaught of the president and an onslaught on the ANC. It must be understood in that sense.”

She said even if Zuma knew the Gupta's, it did not mean he had approved the landing of their jet.

“The president himself didn't know. He wasn't informed about the landing. I think people must wait for the report because government has nothing to hide as far as that report is concerned...” - Sapa

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