PARLIAMENT - The application by Ajay Gupta and his family for early naturalisation was fraudulent and incorrectly granted by former home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba, an inquiry by Parliament's portfolio committee on home affairs has found.
The committee's report following the 2018 inquiry was published on Monday.
The committee's observations include that Gupta associate Ashu Chawla had provided false representations when he acted as an intermediary for the family when they applied for citizenship.
"The Ajay Gupta family early naturalisation application was fraudulent based amongst others on falsified social contribution documents to schools in the North West used by Mr Chawla on behalf of the family as support for their early naturalisation applications," the report read.
MPs recommend that criminal charges be laid against Chawla and members of the Gupta family relating to the "false information" submitted to home affairs.
This includes the nature of the Guptas investment in South Africa as well as fictitious or unverified donations made to schools in the North West province.
The committee recommends the Gupta family and Chawla be stripped of their citizenship.
"Misrepresentation of social contributions as well as the improper procedure being followed as far as the renunciation of Indian Nationality should be considered by the minister as grounds for Ajay Gupta’s family to be revoked of South African citizenship in terms of Section 8(1) of the Citizenship Act," the report said.
"Mr Ashu Chawla’s fraudulent and corrupt activities related to both early naturalisation as well as facilitating illegal visas for Indian Nationals should be considered by the Minister as grounds for the revocation of Ashu Chawla’s South African citizenship in terms of Section 8(1) of the Citizenship Act."