Presidential aspirant Duduzane Zuma recently left the South African public, also known as Mzansi, in a state of bewilderment when he disclosed that he does not possess a bank account or medical aid in South Africa. During a podcast interview, Duduzane, the son of former President Jacob Zuma, spoke about his financial struggles in the country. He revealed that he has been excluded from the South African financial system since 2015.
In his own words, Duduzane stated, “I’m not in the system. I’m not in the financial system in South Africa. I was kicked out. It started off at the end of 2015 when the first bank sent me notifications of my account being closed.”
The Aftermath and Controversies
The interview, which was released on X (formerly known as Twitter), has since garnered thousands of comments and reactions. Duduzane’s association with the Guptas, a wealthy business family, led to the closure of his bank accounts. The Guptas faced similar financial repercussions, which compelled them to list some of their investments, including Infinity Media and The New Age. Duduzane held shares in these companies as well.
Over the years, Duduzane has made several court appearances and faced numerous inquiries due to his business ties with the Guptas. During the interview, he criticized the system for its perceived unfairness.
Making Headlines and Future Prospects
In 2016, Duduzane made headlines when he penned an open letter to former finance minister Pravin Gordhan. He accused Gordhan of utilizing constitutional structures, such as the Financial Intelligence Centre, to undermine him and his colleagues.
Since then, Duduzane has reportedly made Dubai his base of operations. Rumors suggest that he has several business interests in Dubai. However, he has not publicly confirmed these rumors.