The Gupta leaks and the law
The leaked e-mails between government servants and Gupta lieutenants suggest prima facie evidence of corruption, but will the public interest trump protection of information law if the matter goes to court?
The Hawks, the police’s directorate for priority crimes investigation, have launched an inquiry into the leaked Gupta e-mails. But acting head Yolisa Matakata will not say what exactly is being probed. The hundreds of thousands of leaked e-mails between members of the Gupta family and their associates contain more than prima facie evidence of criminal wrongdoing that can be prosecutable, say cyber crimes and legal experts. The ANC has called on government to establish the veracity of the e-mails, saying reports on the matter contain alarming claims about the nature of the relationship between government and private interests. But that’s how far the party has gone on the matter. Key members of its government have said nothing about the matter. The e-mails appear to show that Muthambi, a close ally of President Jacob Zuma, alerted the Guptas to certain policy changes related to her portfolio even before the president had officially approved them. As communications minister, Muthambi h...
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