India-origin South African media baron rubbishes claims that family used links to President Zuma to win contracts

One of South Africa’s Gupta brothers said leaked emails suggesting his family used links to President Jacob Zuma to win contracts and influence decisions were fake, a rare intervention in a scandal that has rocked the government.

Atul Gupta – whose family business empire spans media, mining and technology – told the BBC he had no idea where more than 100,000 documents and emails released in the media since June had come from.

“There’s no authenticity of Gupta leaks at all,” he said, without suggesting who might have forged them or addressing specific allegations in the paperwork.

Senior members of the ruling African National Congress party have accused the three Gupta brothers of using their relationship with Zuma to wield influence and win business.

Media reports based on the emails have drawn several international firms into a scandal that has prompted politicians to call for a judicial enquiry and Zuma’s resignation.

Zuma and the Guptas have denied wrongdoing. A family spokesman last month said the allegations were false and part of a “blatantly political campaign”.

PR CAMPAIGN

Atul Gupta said his family also had no role in a publicity campaign by London-based public relations firm Bell Pottinger that cast enemies of Zuma as agents of “white monopoly …read more