PRETORIA – The ANC has labelled the notion of Parliament investigating the Gupta family as baseless.

The office of the chief whip on Monday said claims made by the DA’s John Steenhuisen that Jackson Mthembu would support the investigation into the alleged “state capture” by the Gupta family were not true.

“DA chief whip's ridiculous claims in the media that ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu has agreed to the DA's opportunistic proposal for Parliament to institute an investigation into the alleged state influence by the Gupta family are imaginary and baseless,” spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said in a statement.

On Sunday Steenhuisen said dealing with "state capture" had to start in Parliament and called Mthembu to support a motion that an ad hoc committee investigate.

"The DA notes ANC chief whip, Jackson Mthembu's public support for calls to investigate 'patterns of state capture' in South Africa this weekend, and will hold him and the ANC caucus to it in Parliament," Steenhuisen said at the time.

"If the former ANC spin doctor and newly-appointed chief whip is serious and not merely offering lip service, he and his caucus will support this motion in the [National Assembly] next term and work with the opposition to ensure that this ad hoc committee is free of political influence and not another ANC whitewash to protect President [Jacob] Zuma, like the previous Nkandla ones,” he added.

Different sectors of society have been calling for an investigation into the involvement of the Gupta family in cabinet appointments following revelations by Deputy Minister of Finance Mcebisi Jonas that he was offered the position of minister after Nhlanhla Nene was sacked in December.

Former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor had earlier made claims that she had also been approached by the Gupta family to take over the public enterprises ministry just days before then minister in the department Barbara Hogan was axed.

Mothapo said Mthembu never made such statements but merely stressed that, as a general principle, Parliament as a forum for public debates should never quash multiparty debates. However, each proposed debate should be subjected to the established parliamentary process for consideration and a decision by all parties.

“Only a delusional misapprehension would interpret this clear assertion [on parliamentary debates] to mean the ANC chief whip supports the DA's proposal for a ‘parliamentary investigation’ into alleged state influence by the Gupta family,” said Mothapo.

He added that the allegations of “state capture” were being investigated by the Hawks and the Public Protector, following requests for investigations. Mothapo said Parliament can’t conduct investigations on a matter that is being looked into by other organs of state.

“Parliament should not find itself in a situation where it is conducting parallel investigations,” he said.

News24