These claims are made by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the North West province. COSATU says it has been informed that the Gupta family, who are staying in the Sun International-owned resort of Sun City in the North West, are getting what could be called preferential treatment by the state and that their actions are racist.
The affluent Guptas and guests are in Sun City to celebrate the wedding of Vega Gupta, 23, to Indian-born Aaskash Jahajgarhia.
COSATU claims the family is under police protection and all their trips have police escorts using state vehicles. The union also claims that the family does not want to be served by the African staff members who are employed in the resort. They demand that their services must be rendered by white personnel, starting from the cleaning of their rooms, the cooking and the drivers of the shuttles they use in the resort.
Meanwhile the Chief of state protocol Ambassador Bruce Koloane was suspended by the department of international relations and co-operation following a preliminary report after a private charter plane with 200 guests from India landed at the Waterkloof air base in Pretoria.
The South African Revenue Services (Sars) has confirmed that custom officials were not present when the Gupta family’s private jet landed at the Waterkloof Air Base. The revenue service told the SABC that SA law allowed for special permission for aircraft to land at an airport which is not designated as an international airport. In such cases customs must be advised and requested beforehand to be available at the time of the landing in order to clear goods and passengers aboard.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) reiterated that it was not aware of any permission granted for the Gupta family to use the Waterkloof Air Force Base, amid confusion over the affair. The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) reiterated on Tuesday that it was not aware of any permission granted for the Gupta family to use the Waterkloof Air Force Base, amid confusion over the affair.
COSATU said in a statement: For us as COSATU this is racism at its worst and this cannot be allowed to continue to take place in a country where racism is a crime. At Sun City our members have been facing racial attitudes from some of the service providers such as the 24/7 security company with which we have an outstanding case with, as we have with Sun City.
It also cannot be allowed that people who are on a private trip are provided with state security while in the country, and this applies only to this family and not to all the foreign visitors who come and visit our country.
For us as COSATU there is a link between their private jet landing at the air force base and the use of police as their escorts. This can only mean that this has been authorised somewhere in the security departments of the country, as we believe that the members of the police services take directives from their superiors.
COSATU calls on the government to stop using state resources for private business and all the member of the police services who have been deployed to protect the Guptas must be withdrawn with immediate effect.
COSATU also calls on Sun City not to allow the Guptas to practise racism in their resort.
COSATU have noted the attitude of the new manager who has started with the tendency of wanting to oppress workers, as COSATU has been informed that he refused to let the workers attend the May Day celebrations which were held on 1st May 2013.
The COSATU Provincial Secretary will be visiting the resort on 3rd May 2013 to interact with the workers who have experienced this aleged racist attitude of the Guptas. The workers will take action immediately.
