Note to editors: Please find attached soundbite by Adv Glynnis Breytenbach MP
The bungled Gupta extradition is a national embarrassment and shows that the Jacob Zuma tentacles are very alive and well in the current cabinet and government.
Despite many queries to both the Department of Justice (DoJ) and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regarding the Gupta extradition process, and somewhat tetchy responses from both, it now appears that the extradition hearing took place on 13 February 2023, and was unsuccessful.
The Justice Minister, Ronald Lamola, reportedly reacted to this news “with shock and dismay”. This is a disgrace and confirms his utter lack of control of this Portfolio and gross dereliction of duty.
The DoJ was, by all accounts, only informed of this monumental failure on 6 April. This begs the question of what exactly the Criminal Justice Cluster has been doing for the past year. Each query has been met with platitudes and hollow assurances that everything was under control. Clearly, this is far from the truth.
Once again, an issue of massive importance has not been communicated to the public, nor to the Portfolio Committee on Justice, responsible for oversight over both the DoJ and the NPA. Little wonder reports are circulating about the Guptas travelling the world on South African passports to boot.
The question now stands, whether there was ever serious intention to successfully extradite these perpetrators, bearing in mind the consequences it would have ensued for so many highly placed ANC members.
This is a massive failure on the part of both institutions and a serious blow to holding the perpetrators of State Capture accountable.
The DA will immediately write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Justice, requesting an urgent meeting with the DoJ and NPA to account for this unacceptable state of affairs. South Africans must no longer be fooled by this disregard for justice and deserve better.