Jacob Zuma and entire ANC must be sweating bullets after Gupta brothers’ arrest

Political analyst Dr. Ralph Mathekga has told the publication former President Jacob Zuma may be very worried following the arrest of his friends the Gupta brothers in Dubai.

The Department of Justice and Correctional Services (JCS) and Dubai Police confirmed Rajesh and Atul Gupta’s arrest on Monday night.

An Interpol red notice was issued last year for the brothers, who were wanted for widespread graft, fraud, and money laundering.

Mathekga said Zuma will be concerned by the arrests of the fugitives.

“Very much worried. The Guptas put together the puzzle. Remember when they left the country, they actually used their resources and it was also the missing part of the whole puzzle.”

“When they are here, they will take down the entire ANC because if you can bring them here and make sure that they are being prosecuted, they will have to speak the truth and it is a dangerous thing for the ANC,” said Mathekga.

The Citizen did reach out to Mzwanele Manyi, the spokesperson of the Jacob Zuma Foundation for a comment on the arrest of the Gupta brothers.

Manyi responded with a one-line message on WhatsApp, simply stating: “am not interested.”

Timing of Dollargate suspicious

Earlier, Mathekga told the publication, the arrest of the Gupta brothers in Dubai may be closely related to the storm surrounding President Cyril Ramaphosa over his $4 million robbery.

Ramaphosa has come under severe pressure from political parties and civil society to come clean on the robbery at his Phala Phala game farm, after former spy boss Arthur Fraser laid a complaint against him for breaching the Prevention of Organised Crime Act by not reporting the crime.

Mathekga said the arrest of the Gupta brothers and the escalation of political difficulty Ramaphosa is currently facing has been pre-empted.

He believes the two matters are closely related and could be a cleverly timed pushback by Fraser on the improprieties revealed during the Zondo Commission the president is currently dealing with.