South Africa: Home affairs minister quits amid pressure

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba resigned on Tuesday after a high court found he had lied under oath.

The minister was also under pressure from the public and opposition parties to step down after his sex tape appeared online two weeks ago.

“The president has accepted the minister’s resignation and expressed his appreciation for the minister’s longstanding service,” the presidency said.

Earlier this year, a court found that Gigaba had lied under oath after he denied in parliament he had authorized a private company to operate an immigration terminal at the OR Tambo International airport in Johannesburg.

This month, South Africa’s anti-corruption chief, Busisiwe Mkwebane recommended to President Cyril Ramaphosa action against the minister.

Gigaba, 47, said in a statement, he had decided to step down in order to relieve Ramaphosa from undue pressure.

Gigaba, who has held several ministerial positions since 2004, is accused of several corruption scandals linked to the wealthy Indian Gupta family who used to lobby government officials to give them lucrative government contracts.

In October, Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene resigned after he revealed that he had visited the home of the Gupta family accused of corruption.

The Guptas who are close friends of former President Jacob Zuma are accused of having influenced him to hire ministers and funnel lucrative government contracts.

Several ministers are believed to have advanced the business interests of the Guptas who currently live in Dubai.