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The South African Communist Party has noted with many questions the reported “sale” by the Guptas of Infinity Media, which operates the television broadcasting network ANN7, and the TNA Media, which publishes The New Age newspaper.

The relationship of the Guptas to state capture and the closure of their bank accounts by all major South African based and international banks both observing national and international laws have rendered their conduct top of the list for serious scrutiny and investigations of alleged illicit behaviour, criminal conduct and prosecution for wrongdoing.

Given the Guptas’ widely reported shoddy conduct and toxic role, it is absolutely appropriate to be apprehensive about the ANN7 and The New Age ownership “transfer” to Mzwanele Jimmy Manyi and to call for an assessment of the dealing.

In essence Manyi will not be the real owner but the general manager of the common affairs of the Guptas, what will fundamentally remain Gupta controlled ANN7 and The New Age financial interests, given that the “vendor financing model” under which the dealing as a whole reportedly took place is firmly captured by entirely Guptarised capital. This reality will prevail until the Guptarised capital is paid back to the Guptas.

The SACP reaffirms its support for the workers at ANN7 and The New Age and considers their well being and that of their families as paramount. We pledge our working class party solidarity with the workers. The SACP is worried about the insecurity the workers’ capitalist bosses and exploiters – the parasitic bourgeoisie to be specific – have forced the workers to endure through mysterious business dealings including tender cannibalism preying on public sector tenders through the widely reported state capture associated with the Guptas.

What we are opposed to as the SACP is corporate capture of the state and sections of our movement and its leaders, including public office bearers, government officials and executives of state owned entities, state agencies and the hollowing out of state investigative authorities that ultimately appear to be embedded and are found wanting instead of dealing decisively with the rot.

What we are opposed to is unlawful and illicit conduct, corruption and looting of public resources and exploitation of our national wealth in pursuit of private wealth accumulation or corporate interests.

We reaffirm the call first made by our Party for an independent judicial commission of inquiry into state capture, starting with state capture by the Guptas as per the findings of the former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela in her report entitled the ‘State of Capture’.

Issued by SACP