The wealthy and politically connected Gupta family triggered a storm of fury when a plane carrying wedding guests landed at the Waterkoof Air Force Base, a national key point, ostensibly without authorisation from the SANDF.
“Cosatu is informed that the family does not want to be served by the African staff members who are employed in the resort,” the union federation said.
“The guests demand that their services must be rendered by white personnel, starting from the cleaning of their rooms, the cooking and the drivers of the shuttles they use,” it said.
“Cosatu has been informed that the family is under police protection while they are at the resort and all their trips have police escorts using state vehicles.
“For us as Cosatu this is racism at its worst and this cannot be allowed to continue to take place in a country where racism is a crime.
“At Sun City our members have been facing racial attitudes from some of the service providers such as the 24/7 security company with which we have an outstanding case, as we have with Sun City,” the union said.
“It also cannot be allowed that people who are on a private trip are provided with state security while in the country, and this applies only to this family and not to all the foreign visitors who come and visit our country.”
Cosatu said it was convinced there was a link between the private jet of the Guptas landing at the air force base and the use of police as their escorts.
“This can only mean that this has been authorised somewhere in the security departments of the country, as we believe that the members of the police services take directives from their superiors.”
The federation called on “the government to stop using state resources for private business”.
It also called on all members of the police services who had been “deployed to protect the Guptas to be withdrawn with immediate effect”.
Gupta wedding spokesman Haranath Ghosh denied the family was using police escorts during the four-day wedding extravaganza.
He also rejected the allegations of racism with “the contempt they deserve”.
“The wedding guests are cosmopolitan and made up of all races,” he said.
Sun City nor Sun International were not available for comment.
Meanwhile, the multi-million question on who authorised the landing of the private jet remains unanswered.
Responsible departments are playing tactical games and point-fingering blame will begin soon.
At the end of the day, the Government should explain and account to this country who had the nerve to use our National Key Point as a private landing strip.
Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) Chief of State Protocol Ambassador Vusi Bruce Koloane who has been suspended, should not take the fall alone but with others responsible.
Security agencies have now questioned the safety of fellow South Africans, amongst others.
