The United Democratic Movement (UDM) on Tuesday welcomed reports that the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has taken action against the Gupta family.

This was after the NPA had confirmed that a preservation order was expected to be served on Trillian and McKinsey on Tuesday for assets worth around R1.6-billion.

Both companies are linked to the Gupta family.

“Seemingly, the NPA has woken up to its duty as it was reported that they were looking to seize Gupta assets and those of Trillian and McKinsey,” said the UDM.

UDM secretary general Bongani Msomi said although the Hawks have refuted claims of the impending arrest of one of the Gupta brothers, it was encouraging that the NPA was now taking action, suggesting that South Africans had reason to have faith in the NPA’s ability to do its job and that it was not captured.

Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Glynnis Breytenbach said her party also welcomed the NPA’s action against Guptas.

“This is not as a result of Shaun Abrahams, who tried to stall, but it is as a result of pressure and hard work from the AFU team under Advocate Knorx Molelle,” she stated.

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) said it was pleased to see that action appears to have been taken by AFU against perpetrators implicated in a number of cases.

Outa COO Ben Theron said the current media activity appeared to indicate that positive action was taking place within certain elements of prosecuting mechanisms of the state.

However, the UDM urged the NPA to widen its net and to ensure that “any members of the Executive who have in some shape or form facilitated deals with the Gupta family are also thoroughly investigated”.