in the planning process for the controversial project, at least according
to the affidavit.
In January 2018 , soon after becoming secretary-general of the ruling
party, Ace Magashule faced a small army of journalists for the first
time in his new role. The purpose of the event was to brief the public
on the outcomes of the party’s first NEC meeting of the year, but the
topic inevitably turned to the Guptas. After all, it was in Magashule’s
Free State where some of the worst Gupta-linked looting had occurred,
such as the Vrede dairy scandal.
Magashule didn’t say a word about his alleged role in the failed
venture. ‘Because we have ... adopted the resolution that we must fight
corruption, this is what is happening. We are saying whenever there is
corruption, the law must take its place, whether it is with Vrede dairy
or any other thing ... So let’s leave that matter. It’s with the NPA, it’s
with the law enforcers. Whatever happens, we are actually reiterating
the stance of the ANC, that we need to fight corruption wherever it
rears its head.’
Magashule faced another line of questioning at the press conference.
Like his boss Jacob Zuma, he had a son, Tshepiso, who worked for the
Guptas, but he denied there was anything wrong with this. ‘It has
never been a secret,’ he said. ‘When I became premier he was working
for the Guptas, it was not a secret, you knew as the media.’^13
But claiming that he had been transparent about Tshepiso’s role in the
Gupta business empire was disingenuous. The media and public only
became aware of the dubious tasks Tshepiso performed for the Guptas
thanks to the #GuptaLeaks, not because the premier had been candid
about what his son was doing for the controversial family.