Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has revealed that some members of the Gupta family have been trying to get their SA passports renewed.

This is despite the SA government’s bid to have the Gupta family extradited back to the country to answer to state capture allegations.

They are reported to have been living in Dubai since leaving SA in December 2018.

The controversial family, which is originally from India, was awarded SA citizenship under dubious circumstances by former home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba several years ago.

“They are still South Africans. They haven’t renounced (their citizenship),” said Motsoaledi.

“What I know is some of them have applied for their (renewed) passports. I think their pages are full or expired,” he added.

Motsoaledi was speaking to the SABC during an interview on Tuesday.

“We have got applications [for passport renewals] and we have kept them,” he said, adding that these were filed less than a month ago.

“Obviously there is no way I would be stupid enough [to process them.] The department of justice is looking for them. They are in trouble. They can’t travel to any parts of the world because they are using SA passports,” Motsoaledi revealed.

Earlier this year, parliament’s portfolio committee on home affairs had recommended that the SA citizenship granted to the Gupta family be revoked as it was granted fraudulently and in a corrupt manner.

The committee also recommended that the family be criminally charged for submitting false information to back up their application for early naturalisation. (Business Day SA)

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