Vusi Phakathi, 40, Retail Assistant, Diepkloof

“My view is that it becomes a little controversial when they leave in the middle of this crisis. The Guptas should have waited for the matter to be interrogated to the end. That would also establish whether their influence and presence is beneficial or detrimental to our country. I believe if they left it’s because they are under pressure from many spheres of South African society. What we must remember is that these guys are investors in our country and have provided employment to some South Africans. I don’t think their departure makes them the more suspicious. They were just under too much pressure here. If their influence and presence benefits the country I do not understand why they had to leave.”

Andile Ngobese, 24, Unemployed, KwaZulu-Natal

“These guys have neither left the country nor resigned. They are in South Africa for a reason, which was to make money and they cannot just give away all that. They have just delegated the running of the companies to other people and have not left the country. They are just hiding away somewhere comfortable, praying and hoping that the state capture storm subsides so that things can get back to normal. I don’t think it was such a clever move for them to flee though because by so doing they are raising already-brewing suspicion that they chose our ministers and literally run the country, which is a scary thought. Zuma has dented the name of the ANC and embarrassed the country while making a mockery of our respected Constitution. Investigations into the capture of the state by the Guptas should continue and if they are found to have had undue influence on key appointments, they should be extradited from wherever they are.”

Sinah Ntimbane, 59, Pikitup, Johannesburg

“The ANC is to blame for this whole chaos. The ANC should have dealt with Zuma from the beginning. Now if the Guptas are leaving and trying to avoid prosecution for state capture, how is the country going to get to the bottom of this? They definitely know that their association with the president was not completely honest and thought it best to sneak out of the country. Their sudden disappearance raises suspicion. It’s so unfortunate if these guys are let off the hook again. These are the same people who undermined the security of our country when permission was given to them to land at the Waterkloof Air Base in Pretoria. I will not be surprised if they are assisted to dribble through this one. South Africa is dying to know the truth.”

Mbongeleni Mahlobo, 47, Unemployed, Johannesburg

“That definitely raises suspicion. Why would the Guptas leave the country in the middle of such a devastating scandal that directly involves them? They have succumbed to mounting pressure to get to the bottom of the scandal. Some in the ANC have also spoken out against the state’s capture by the Guptas and this has made them very uncomfortable. So far the evidence of the state’s capture is overwhelming. The Jonas revelations, ex-parliamentarian Vytjie Mentor’s disclosure all give rise to the suspicion that our country is indeed in real danger. If they are found guilty of capturing the state, they should be kicked out along with the president.”

Dineo Khumalo, 25, Unemployed, Johannesburg

“If the Guptas were innocent of all the allegations against them and the president, they would have waited for the matter to be resolved. Did they leave because they are scared they’ll be exposed? I’m most disappointed in the leadership of President Zuma. He has failed South Africa and revelations of his relationship with the Guptas are devastating. The country is struggling to provide jobs to a rapidly growing population which makes it all unreasonable for a leader to associate for personal gain. It’s not fair to us youth and the poor that rely on government for jobs. If it were up to me Zuma would step down as president and save the country and the economy further harm. The Guptas should be found and made to pay for their part while the president resigns. And, if possible, like Zuma, the Guptas should be made to pay back monetary gains incurred through their state capture.

Tshepo Perman, 30, Hairstylist, Johannesburg

“These people are a slippery bunch or at least that is what they have been good at. I don’t even want to imagine how the relationship with the president was conceived. They are not gone for good. They will be coming back soon. Besides I don’t think the Guptas left. They just want the uproar to die down before they reconnect with the generous president. If they were totally innocent, they should have waited for the matter to be resolved first. But again if it is indeed found that they had undue influence over the state or executive, they should be prosecuted along with the president. However, I doubt that this would ever happen. These are the same people who were allowed to land at the Waterkloof Air Base but at the time it never really occurred that they were poisonous. They got away with using the base, yet in other countries this would have been severely punished. All goes to show what a banana republic we have become.” DM