Blade 'knows who's to blame'

The SA Communist Party knows who is driving the "chasing" of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and of ANC leaders such as party secretary-general Gwede Mantashe.

This was said yesterday by SACP general secretary and Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande, as he lambasted "those using state organs to pursue personal gains".

He lashed out at the Gupta family - "parasites" who must be fought - and their "sense of entitlement".

Speaking at the party's Red October rally in Sebokeng, Gauteng, Nzimande said: "We know who is chasing comrade Pravin. It's not rocket science. One day we will talk, but not now. We will keep quiet because we don't want South Africa to burn."

Nzimande said his party would defend Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas, Mantashe and ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize.

The Sunday Times reported yesterday that the three were being investigated by the Hawks for failing to report that the Guptas offered Jonas a R600-million bribe.

Next in the firing line is, according to the SACP, its second deputy general secretary, Solly Mapaila, "because they say he speaks a lot".

"We need to fight both monopoly capital and the Guptarisation of our state with ferocity and vigour. I was very offended as a black South African when they landed their plane at Waterkloof. I felt that my sovereignty was violated," Nzimande said.

Young Communist Lea-gue secretary Mluleki Dlelanga, also speaking at the rally, denounced the Guptas and Eskom CEO Brian Molefe : "The Guptas are a threat to the national revolution.

"The golden boy of the Guptas, Brian Molefe, lied to the people of South Africa and said he went to a shebeen in Saxonworld. But the information is that there is no shebeen there."

ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte defended Molefe.

"We must stop associating black people with corruption. We cannot say the CEO of Glencore is not corrupt and say the CEO of Eskom ... Molefe is corrupt," she said.