Salim Essa Explained

Salim Aziz Essa (born 15 January 1978), is a South African known for his links to the Gupta family, alongside which he stands accused of state capture and various other forms of criminal and fraudulent activity.

Essa owns shares in several Gupta family companies[1] and was the supposedly sole shareholder in VR Laser Asia,[2] a company later revealed to have been controlled by the Gupta family.[3] When South African banks withdrew services from the Gupta family and their companies, Essa and a partner attempted to acquire Habib Overseas Bank.[4] This was interpreted as a mechanism to protect Gupta assets.[5]

Essa started in business as a trader in his father's wholesalers.[6]

In June 2017 Essa sold his controlling shareholding in Trillian Holdings,[7] [8] a company linked to the alleged looting of state-owned enterprises.[9] [10]

In November 2017 Eskom employee Suzanne Daniels testified before Parliament that Essa had facilitated meetings between her and a Gupta family member, and knew about executive suspensions at Eskom before they happened.[11]

In June 2018 Essa launched a dramatic bid to keep engineering company VR Laser in business, offering a R70 million cash injection minutes before creditors were due to vote on its liquidation.[12]

Notes and References

  1. News: Exposed: Explosive Gupta e-mails at the heart of state capture. 2017-11-11. en-US.
  2. News: Salim Essa: The man in the middle. 2016-05-19. Graphics24. 2017-11-11. en-US.
  3. News: Gupta partnership 'hurt' Denel. 2017-11-11. en-US.
  4. News: Reserve Bank opposes Gupta bank bid - TechCentral. 2017-02-03. TechCentral. 2017-11-11. en-US.
  5. News: Zupta banking dilemma resolved? Gupta friend Salim Essa can buy a bank - CompCom - BizNews.com. 2017-01-16. BizNews.com. 2017-11-11. en-US.
  6. News: Here Is What's (Probably) Next For Salim Essa After He Cuts And Runs From Trillian. 2017-07-27. Huffington Post South Africa. 2017-11-11. en-ZA.
  7. News: Salim Essa and Trillian part ways. News. Eyewitness. 2017-11-11. en.
  8. News: Brown not satisfied with Eskom's Trillian report, wants more details. Polity.org.za. 2017-11-11.
  9. Web site: R10 million from each R50 million locomotive went to Salim Essa #GuptaLeaks. 702. en. 2017-11-11.
  10. News: Transnet appoints Werksmans to probe locomotive corruption claims. Creamer. Terence. Mining Weekly. 2017-11-11.
  11. News: Daniels: Gupta associate Essa knew of Eskom suspensions before it happened. Essop. Rahima. 2017-11-11. en.
  12. Web site: EXCLUSIVE: Gupta lieutenant Salim Essa in last gasp R70m bid to 'save' VR Laser. 2018-06-14. Fin24. 2019-01-07.

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