'It's not us': Gupta association prompts discussion around the Van der Merwe name

Van der Merwe is such a common surname in South Africa‚ it even spawns a host of jokes. But a law firm is not seeing the funny side of sharing the same name as the lawyer representing the controversial Gupta family.

Van Der Merwe Dorning and Associates Incorporated (VDMA)‚ with Pieter van der Merwe as the director‚ issued a statement on Thursday stating: "We have been inundated with calls from not only our valued clients but also from a variety of members of the public who are under the incorrect impression that we are representing the Gupta and/or their various entities.

"We‚ VDMA Attorneys‚ hereby confirm that we do not act for or represent any member of the Gupta family or any of their business entities‚ including but not limited to Oakbay Investments and Optimum Mine trust‚" the firm said‚ adding it was in no way linked to or in association or in any other way involved with Gert van der Merwe."

VDMA is a corporate and commercial law firm with offices in Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Gert van der Merwe‚ the Gupta Family lawyer‚ represents Van Der Merwe & Associates.