In an unprecedented move, the cabinet has assigned three ministers to "interact" with the big four banks about why they closed the accounts of Gupta company Oakbay Investments.At a post-cabinet meeting briefing, Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe said the ministers of finance [Pravin Gordhan], mineral resources [Mosebenzi Zwane] and labour [Mildred Oliphant] would open a "constructive engagement" with the banks about the closing of the accounts of "a company".Zwane is understood to be very close to the Gupta family.The four big banks have refused to do business with Oakbay amid widespread allegations of state capture by the Gupta family.The Guptas have resigned their positions on the board of Oakbay. Employees of the company this week pleaded with the banks to reopen the accounts because they would lose their jobs if the company could not do business.Radebe said: "While the cabinet appreciates the terms and conditions of the banks, [their actions] might deter investors who want to do business in South Africa."Radebe was careful to note that the decision to send in the three ministers was made at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday last week, before it emerged that one of the reasons for the banks' actions might be worries about compliance with money-laundering regulations.He said the ministers were not conducting an investigation but entering into an "engagement".Radebe did not respond to a question about whether Mineral Resources Minister Zwane should be part of the interactions. Zwane has on numerous occasions been linked to the Gupta family. He flew with the family to Switzerland to clinch the Optimum coal deal with Glencore.Radebe said the "engagement" would not constitute bullying: "There are big boys and girls in the banks who cannot be bullied."Pressed for details on whether the cabinet had acted in a similar way in dealing with other private companies, or whether companies could approach the government to act on their behalf in similar situations, Radebe would say only that the government and private companies often interacted.Political analyst Ibrahim Fakir said: "It is clear that the banks were unethical in the way they went about it."On the other hand, I think the Guptas or their companies should be following due process before the ministers get involved."A spokesman for FNB said last night that the bank had not been contacted by the ministers assigned to engage with it...