ON THE MONEY
STUART THEOBALD: Lest we forget Reserve Bank’s heroic stand against encroachment of Gupta empire
‘The Guptas have needed the financial system to grease their money machine, but the Bank has been steadily constraining their access’
When the history of the kleptocracy is written, we will need to credit the heroes. Most obvious is Thuli Madonsela, who as public protector blew the lid off some of the Gupta family’s most egregious acts in her report on state capture. Several investigative journalists have also been important in bringing to light illegal activities. The person, or persons, who leaked the trove of thousands of e-mails from the heart of the Gupta empire played a key role too. Some auditors, like SizweNtsalubaGobodo, which qualified Eskom’s annual financial statements over payments to the Guptas, also deserve credit. But a less noticed hero is surely the Reserve Bank. The Guptas have needed the financial system to grease their money machine, but the Bank has been steadily constraining their access. The family’s businesses are now in a court battle to try to save the one banking relationship they have left, with the Bank of Baroda, an Indian bank with a small branch in SA.Moneyweb broke the story last ...
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