South African President Jacob Zuma and his ruling African National Congress (ANC) have been “willingly captured” by the controversial Gupta family and their business interests, Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, Mmusi Maimane, said on Thursday.

This comes as Maimane led hundreds of protesters amid pouring rain to the Gupta family mansion in the leafy suburb of Saxonwold in Johannesburg. He said that that was the site where Zuma and his government were captured and where they sold the country to the highest bidder.

Upon getting wind of the pending march to their doorstep, the Gupta family rushed to court and obtained an interdict barring the DA from protesting 900 metres from their home, forcing the DA supporters to assemble at Zoo Lake, a couple of hundred meters away.

Maimane said that Zuma’s “capture site” in the North West whose multi-million rand monument was officially unveiled on Wednesday was not the real site of Zuma’s capture. The site is where Zuma was arrested by apartheid police in 1963, just outside of the small town of Groot Marico in the North West Province.

“Anyone who has picked up a newspaper, turned on a radio, or watched the evening news over the past year knows that there is a new ‘Jacob Zuma capture site’ here in Saxonwold. Every decision made there is made guided by one criteria: make Jacob Zuma, his friends, and the Gupta rich,” Maimane said.

“It is behind the high walls, electric fencing, and stringent private security of the Guptas mansion where many important decisions affecting our country are made. Where ministers are appointed and fired, where government contracts are signed, where national budgets are written, and where policy is decided.”

Maimane said the Gupta mansion was not only the capture site of Zuma, but several Cabinet ministers too, including Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba, Public Service and Administration Minister Faith Muthambi, Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane, Cooperative Governance Minister Des Van Rooyen; as well as numerous top executives at State-Owned Entities.

Maimane also called for the speedy setting up of the State capture commission of inquiry to probe the leaked e-mails suspected which purportedly show evidence of the Guptas undue influence on government. 

“To this day, not one single person has been prosecuted for their crimes. We cannot continue to sweep this under the carpet. It’s time to fully expose the rot throughout government and the private sector. It is vital that we establish a platform through which we can get to the very bottom of this matter,” Maimane said.

“That is why I have called on the Speaker of Parliament to immediately establish an ad hoc committee into State Capture by no later than 31 October 2017. The Speaker has been put on notice, and if she fails to act, we will have no hesitation in approaching the Courts to ensure this matter is resolved.”