Software giant SAP on Thursday said it had voluntarily disclosed its breach of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in relation to allegations its South African operation paid kickbacks to a Gupta-linked company.

In a statement on its website, SAP said it has initiated disciplinary procedures against three employees.

Adaire Fox-Martin, member of the Executive Board of SAP SE, who leads SAP’s business in Middle and Eastern Europe (MEE), Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), and Greater China, said: “As a global company with a commitment to integrity and compliance, the past three months have been humbling for us.

“The allegations of wrongdoing in our South African business have had a profound impact on our employees, customers and partners, and on the South African public — and we apologize wholeheartedly for this.”

The admission allegedly relates to paying a bribe to a Gupta-linked company to secure a lucrative contract with State-owned enterprises.

SAP said it has “initiated disciplinary procedures against three employees and made significant changes to its global sales deal processes”.