Cape Town — The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) looks set to issue a démarche to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ambassador to South Africa to reveal answers about the government’s failed extradition of the Gupta brothers, a report says.
A démarche is a formal diplomatic representation of the official position, views or wishes on a subject from one government to another government or intergovernmental organisation.
South Africa learnt only last week that the UAE had turned down its request to extradite the two brothers accused of orchestrating industrial-scale corruption.
Justice Minister Ronald Lamola said that the extradition hearing had been concluded in the Dubai Court on 13 February 2023.
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The Citizen reported that a démarche served to UAE‘s ambassador to South Africa, Mahash Saeed Alhameli will see him having to answer questions about how the notorious Gupta duo were released from jail after a Dubai Court of Appeal rejected SA’s extradition request.
The Daily Maverick reported that teams from the Department of Justice, Dirco and the National Prosecuting Authority visited Dubai a number of times since June 2022 and were told by the UAE that the brothers had been placed under arrest. However details of their arrests were never provided.
However, according to News24, presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has denied that SA will be issuing a démarche to UAE’s ambassador.
Magwenya reportedly said that there “is no reason” to issue a démarche against the ambassador as South Africa was dealing with the matter using the appropriate options.
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Compiled by Junaid Benjamin
