EFF wants court to overturn Gigaba's granting citizenship to Guptas

The party has revealed two official letters from the department which show the family was first denied citizenship before Gigaba stepped in to give the green light.

FILE: Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba. Picture: Christa Eybers/EWN.

Barry Bateman | 796 days ago

JOHANNESBURG - The EFF says it will turn to the courts to challenge former Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba’s decision to grant the Gupta family naturalised citizenship in South Africa.

The party has revealed two official letters from the department which show the family was first denied citizenship before Gigaba stepped in to give the green light.

The controversial family - who are close friends of President Jacob Zuma - have come under intense scrutiny - with thousands of leaked emails showing how they have questionable relationships with numerous politicians and state entity executives.

Official documents show that in January 2015, a senior Home Affairs official informed the Guptas that their application for naturalisation had been unsuccessful because they did not comply with the requirements of the applicable legislation.

The official informs the family that they may re-apply in December that year provided they have met the requirements.

But just four months later, in May, then Home Affairs Minister Gigaba writes to the Guptas to say he has “the pleasure in informing you that after careful consideration I have decided to waive the requirements in regards to your application for naturalization, and grant you early naturalization”.

The EFF says they will challenge Gigaba’s decision on the grounds it was irrational and based on nothing other than a corrupt relationship.

The party says the Guptas should in fact be banned from South Africa because of their corrupt, criminal and immoral behaviour.

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