Cape Town — Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, has taken a different stance regarding the citizenship granted to Kamal Singhala, the son of notorious state capturer Ajay Gupta.
In a statement, Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Adrian Roos welcomed Schreiber’s call to investigate the circumstances surrounding Singhala’s citizenship, which was awarded by former minister of home affairs, Malusi Gigaba.
This decision reopens scrutiny of the state capture era, which had severely tainted South Africa’s governance.
“If there are any remaining vestiges of this dark period, they must be rooted out, and we believe this process is a significant step toward doing just that,” Roos said.
He also said that Singhala’s second citizenship application was approved unlawfully, and the DA supports all efforts to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has struggled with the extradition of the Guptas and emphasises that any lingering effects from the state capture era that could influence government operations should be addressed.
“We, therefore, support Dr. Schreiber’s commitment to ensuring that the law is enforced without fear or favour The DA will continue to monitor developments closely and advocate for further actions to prevent any re-emergence of corruption in South Africa,” he said.
The DA applauds Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber’s decisive move to revoke Gupta son Kamal Singhala’s citizenship, which was granted irregularly in 2015. We remain committed to upholding the rule of law, and we stand by Minister Schreiber’s efforts.https://t.co/Gk052CQdXb
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) September 9, 2024
According to EWN, Schreiber has invited Singhala to present his case as to why his 2015 citizenship should not be revoked. The minister believes Singhala’s citizenship was granted prematurely, given that his initial application was rejected.
Singhala is currently in a dispute with the Home Affairs department over securing a passport for his daughter.
In 2017, the Home Affairs Committee learned that the department had recommended that Gigaba waive residency requirements for all Gupta family members. Documents were provided to show that the citizenship application process had been followed.
Schreiber said that the department acted too swiftly in rejecting the initial application and then considering a new one just months later. He said that if Singhala believes his naturalisation is valid, he should present his case to the department in person.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
