page_title: Gupta family
section_title: Relationship with Jacob Zuma
hierarchical_section_title: Gupta family / Relationship with Jacob Zuma
caption_attribution_description: Afrikaans: 'n Protesplakaat met Atul Gupta word deur twee EFF-lede voorgehou tydens die Zuma Must Fall-optogte in Kaapstad. English: A protest placard of Atul Gupta carried by two EFF members on either side of it at the Zuma Must Fall protests in Cape Town.
context_page_description: The Gupta family is a wealthy Indian-born family, with business interests in South Africa, whose most notable members are the brothers Ajay, Atul, Rajesh "Tony" Gupta as well as Atul Gupta's nephews Varun, and US-based Ashish and Amol. The Gupta family owns a business empire spanning computer equipment, media and mining, and has been the focus of widespread scrutiny because of its close ties to Jacob Zuma during his Presidency.
  In 2016 Atul Gupta became the seventh-wealthiest person in South Africa, with an estimated net worth of R10.7 billion, based on JSE-listed holdings.
  The family migrated from the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh to South Africa in 1993 to establish Sahara Computers. The family is based at the Sahara Estate in Saxonwold, Johannesburg, a compound comprising at least four mansions, and in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
  The family's strong ties to former South African president Jacob Zuma, both personally and through its company Oakbay Investments, have been the subject of extensive international scrutiny and caused much political controversy.
context_section_description: The Guptas and then vice-president Jacob Zuma first met at a function hosted by the Guptas at their Sahara Estate in 2003.  Since then the family have been involved in a number of events involving Zuma and his family. The family is known to have been a supporter of Zuma during his power struggle for leadership of the African National Congress (ANC) with then president Thabo Mbeki in 2005.
  The family is known to have employed Zuma's wife Bongi Ngema-Zuma. One of Zuma's sons, Duduzane Zuma was a director in a number of Gupta owned firms and one of his daughters, Duduzile Zuma, was made a director of the Gupta owned Sahara computers in 2008. She has since resigned from that position. Duduzane Zuma has also since resigned from all positions held at Gupta owned businesses. Zuma's close relationship with the family is a source of tension within Zuma's own party the ANC. Likewise, Zuma denies granting undue influence to the family.
  The Guptas' influence on the presidency has been described by the former General Secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions Zwelinzima Vavi as a "shadow government." Donwald Pressly of the South African business publication Biznews has stated that comments made by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa about the state capture of public enterprises by people with political connections was referring to the close relationship between Zuma and the Gupta family.  One of South Africa's opposition parties, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), have stated that the Gupta's "have de facto colonised South Africa, with Zuma being the chief colonial administrator". The Guptas have denied this allegation, saying they have never taken any benefit from the relationship with Zuma. Zuma denies granting undue influence to the family.
  Prior to its national executive committee over the weekend of 18–20 March 2016, spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said the ANC was concerned about state capture. In March 2016 the ANC launched an investigation into state capture and the Gupta family. In May ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe said it would be a "fruitless" exercise for the party to continue to investigate allegations of state capture against the Gupta family as they had only received one written submission on the matter.  A spokesman for the ‘Hawks’ - a serious crime investigative unit set up by the Zuma administration - stated that reports that corruption charges filed against the three ministers and the Gupta family are ‘baseless’.
  As part of the company's annual results announcement in September 2016, Oakbay Investments stated that government contracts accounted for 9% of the company's sales.
  Oakbay also stated that its largest mining company, JIC Mining Services, has never had a government contract, while Sahara, the second biggest contributor, has had no government contacts following a deliberate decision taken by the board in 2008.
caption: A protest placard depicting Atul Gupta carried by two EFF members on either side of it at a Zuma Must Fall protest in Cape Town.  The slogan "#Not My President" on the placard explicitly links Atul Gupta with President Zuma.
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