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Capturing South Africa

Michael Robinson reports on 鈥淕uptagate鈥 - why the Indian-born Gupta brothers are accused of 'capturing' the South African state to boost their business empire.

South Africa鈥檚 President Zuma is in deep trouble.

Accusations of corruption and unexplained ministerial appointments have fuelled widespread suspicions that the South African state has been 鈥渃aptured鈥. At the heart of this accusation are the Gupta brothers - a secretive family of Indian-born entrepreneurs. From modest beginnings in the 1990s, the Guptas鈥 South African business empire grew dramatically. Boosted, it is said, by their alleged influence over state contracts, political appointments and President Zuma himself.

In this edition of Assignment, Michael Robinson tells the story of 鈥淕uptagate鈥 - how one of the fiercest political storms since the ending of apartheid has swept South Africa and its increasingly embattled President.

Producer: Leo Hornak

(Image: The Economic Freedom Fighters party hold a rally)

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27 minutes

Last on

Mon 30 May 2016 06:06GMT

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