Confidential company info about the Guptas released

The Gupta family was “bemused by six-year-old allegations” and said they are “keen” to see confirmation from their accuser that they were reported to the “appropriate responsible officials” at the time.
This comes after the Sunday Times reported that Themba Maseko‚ former CEO of the Government Communications and Information System (GCIS)‚ told how President Jacob Zuma personally called him to ensure that he met the Gupta brothers at their Saxonwold compound in Johannesburg.
This claim appeared to contradict Zuma's assertion in parliament last week that if the Guptas had solicited government favours it was without his knowledge‚ and came as the African National Congress (ANC) ended a three-day summit which included discussions on allegations of political interference by Zuma's business friends.
The Sunday Times reported that Maseko said that‚ in late 2010‚ he had received numerous requests from the Guptas for a meeting.
On the day he finally agreed to meet them at their Saxonwold home‚ he received a call from the highest office in the land. Zuma allegedly told Maseko that “the Gupta brothers need your help”. At the meeting Maseko said Ajay Gupta told him that he wants “government advertising channelled to the newspaper”.
The Guptas’ Oakbay Investments issued a statement saying Maseko’s allegations “are totally unfounded” and “clearly part of an ongoing‚ coordinated campaign involving others‚ to continue an already vicious politically-driven attack‚ using the Gupta family as a proxy”.
Oakbay CEO Nazeem Howa said: “As a senior government official at the time of the alleged incident‚ surely Mr Maseko would have followed the accepted regulations and responsibilities that came with his role and reported what amounts to serious allegations to the appropriate responsible officials‚ including his minister.
“We are keen for Mr Maseko to confirm that this was done at that time in keeping with the legal responsibilities he had as an official of GCIS.”
Howa also disputed Maseko’s claims about advertising spend in the The New Age.
He said that in the first year of its launch – between December 2010 and December 2011 – “the paper received 1‚8% of national government’s total advertising spend‚ which makes a mockery of alleged pressure to push revenue to The New Age”.
“Despite TNA Media being a private company‚ we are taking the unusual step of releasing confidential company information‚ in the interests of full transparency‚” said Howa.
“For the period December 6‚ 2010 to December 31‚ 2011 total advertising booked by GCIS into The New Age was under R2.5-million for the full period.”
On Sunday‚ the ANC’s secretary-general‚ Gwede Mantashe‚ said the party has full confidence in Zuma's business friends despite the allegations.
Mantashe said the National Executive Committee had held "frank and robust discussions" on claims that the Gupta family had influence in the appointment of ministers‚ their deputies and other government positions.
Last week‚ deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas publicly confirmed reports that the Guptas had offered him the finance ministry late last year while Nhlanhla Nene still held the post