The sprawling Gupta mansion in Saxonwold – the nerve centre of the state capture project – is deep in the red with the City of Joburg, owing close to R1-million in rates and taxes.
The mansion, which was visited by several ministers who served in former president Jacob Zuma’s cabinet and CEOs of state-owned companies, featured prominently at the recently concluded state capture commission.
Sunday World understands that the compound, named Sahara Estate and located on Saxonwold Drive, owes the city R726 695.
According to information at our disposal, the last payment of taxes and rates was made in November 2020.
This is not the only Gupta mansion in the red. The Midrand head offices of the Guptas’ IT business, Sahara Computers, owes the city R270 941.
A third property owned by the controversial family owes R31 169. The property, located on Avonwold Road in Saxonwold, was once occupied by
Tshepiso Magashule, the son of suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule.
Sunday World has noted activity in the compound. However, it could not be established who is occupying the mansion.
The Department of Justice and Correctional Services is in the process of extraditing Rajesh and Atul Gupta, who were arrested in the United Arab Emirates, to face justice for state capture.
In 2018, the Gupta family went into self-exile in Dubai after looting billions of rand from parastatals, in South Africa, authorities said.
The heat started to turn up on them in June last year when a warrant of arrest was issued for Atul and Rajesh Gupta and their wives. This was in relation to the looting of the Estina dairy project in the Free State.
Gupta family associate and businessman Iqbal Sharma, Peter Thabethe and Limakatso Moorosi, who are former heads of the department of agriculture in the Free State, and Seipati Dlamini, who was the department’s financial officer, were also arrested.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has since frozen several of the Gupta family’s assets. These include a private jet, a house in Saxonwold, Johannesburg, and another in Constantia, Cape Town.
NPA investigating directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said the Asset Forfeiture Unit was not responsible for the rates and taxes of attached properties.
“The curator is responsible as the caretaker of the properties. The curator takes care for the maintenance and upkeep of those properties attached by the asset forfeiture unit. However, I don’t have an idea on where the curator gets the money to pay rates and taxes.”
The curator of the Gupta properties, Dinesh Appavoo of Dredin Consulting, said the Gupta compound is owned by a Gupta company, Confident Concept, which is under business rescue. “I think the last payment was made in March,” he said.
“The municipality was informed that the property is under curatorship, they are aware of that. Remember when properties are under curatorship, payments are made once the properties have been sold,” Appavoo said.
MMC for finance at the City of Joburg Julie Suddaby declined to comment on the status of the Guptas’ rates and taxes, citing customer confidentiality.
Many gave in to Gupta temptation
By all accounts, the Guptas’ compound in Saxonwold, Joburg, was where the infamous family demonstrated its power and influence over government matters.
According to evidence led at the State Capture Commission, the compound, which has at least four mansions, is where the wheeling and dealing took place.
The compound became famous in 2016 when former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas claimed that Gupta brother Ajay Gupta offered him the position of finance minister and R600-million during a meeting at the compound in 2015. Another man who seemingly withstood the allure of the compound and what it had to offer was former Government Communication and Information System CEO Themba Maseko.
Others, according to evidence before the Zondo Commission, could not resist the power apparently displayed by the Guptas when they were hosting politicians and state-owned enterprise bosses at the compound.
Some of the characters who admitted to having frequented the Gupta compound are:
Duduzane Zuma
The young Zuma, it appears, was a frequent visitor at the compound. He admitted at the Zondo Commission that he took former KwaZulu-Natal Hawks boss Johan Booysen to meet the Gupta family at the property in 2015, but maintained it was just a “meet and greet”.
He also admitted that he invited Jonas to the Gupta family’s home in 2015.
Brian Molefe
The former Transnet and Eskom CEO told the State Capture Commission in Johannesburg that he visited the Gupta residence in Saxonworld numerous times when he was still Transnet CEO.
He said he lost count of how many times he visited them. He claimed his visits were mainly to attend Gupta family functions and what he called “meetings”.
Molefe was arrested last week in connection with a R93-million corruption and fraud cas linked to the procurement of 1 064 locomotives in 2015. The Guptas are said to have bene-fited from the deal.
Malusi Gigaba
The former public enterprises and finance minister a so admitted to having visited the Saxonwold property several times. However, he has denied there was anything untoward about his visits.
When questioned about how many times he met the Guptas, Gigaba said he could not remember.
A secret witness testified at the Zondo Commission that he was instructed by Gigaba to keep visits to the Gupta compound in Saxonwold secret.
Gigaba denied it.
Gigaba’s estranged wife, Norma Mngoma, told the commission that her husband would leave with stacks of cash from the Gupta house.
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