Free SA, Sexwale urges state capture conspirators

Johannesburg - Trillian Capital Partners chair Tokyo Sexwale urged conspirator in state capture to come forward.

He said people who knew about state capture should step away from the shadows, adding that they would be confessing to millions of South Africans that would embrace them. He warned of dire consequences if they remained hidden.

“Come out before... Don’t wait for an email to catch you,” he said. “People are being blackmailed about state capture. I’m saying come out into the open and be free. We need to free this country.”

Sexwale announced on Thursday afternoon that he is stepping down immediately, straight after revealing an explosive report on the firm’s alleged links to state capture.

• READ: FULL REPORT: Damning Trillian report on state capture
  

The now former chair appointed Advocate Geoff Budlender to investigate the Gupta-linked company after a Sunday Times expose alerted him to possible wrongdoing at the company.

ANC stalwart Sexwale discussed Budlender’s report with reporters on Thursday afternoon, where he revealed he would leave the company’s offices after the briefing and would not be coming back.

Budlender’s report hinted at alleged state capture at Trillian that had to be investigated thoroughly. He said in the report that Trillian had not cooperated with him in conducting the investigation.

Sexwale said five other Trillian directors had resigned due to the Budlender’s investigation.

The Trillian chair however begged media not to be too harsh on other staffers from Trillion, calling them innocent bystanders.

“They had nothing to do with allegations that the company was set up to benefit from state capture,” he said. "When I say Trillian is innocent, as a company. The church is innocent, it is the cardinal who did something wrong." 

He also told Trillian CEO Eric Wood that he is innocent until proven guilty, after handing him the report. "I told him, I think it's very important he stand up and clear his name."

Sexwale believed the report mostly implicated the majority shareholder Salim Essa in nefarious activities. He said Essa tried to convene the Trillian board last week to have him removed as chair. Essa is a known Gupta associate.

Sexwale, however, wanted to see the release of the report through before stepping down. "I think it's self-explanatory as to why he would want to remove me."

He said he would give the Trillian report to the current public protector to follow-up on. He hoped that it would spark a proper investigation into state capture.

Sexwale slammed the speed at which South Africa was corrupted and how it has ruined the country. Not even cynics expected it to be so fast, he said.

He only had harsh words for the Gupta-family. This corruption of state capture, around a particularly family is destroying the ANC.

Despite his resignation, he believed that the Trillian investigation should be expanded.

"We have not seen the end of this thing,” he said.