This is a BBC podcast.

You can get all our podcasts and our terms of use

at BBCworldservice.com slash podcasts. Hello I'm Michael Robinson in South Africa for this edition of assignment on the BBC World Service to report on a startling allegation

that a single family of business people from India has managed to capture the

South African state. Across the world, business people try to influence governments for commercial gain,

but with this family the Guptas it seems to have gone much further.

At this huge opposition rally in a stadium near Johannesburg I had only to mention

their name to be left in no doubt what people thought.

They're worse. We don't talk about those ones. We don't want them anymore.

They're eating our money. We want better. Better South Africa.

It's one thing with the Gupta. They are ruling their country.

They are ruling us.

So we don't want coupters in South Africa.

For South Africa's ruling African National Congress Party, the so-called

Guptagate scandal is a major problem. It may prove the final straw in toppling

President Jacob Zuma, a man already deeply scarred by allegations

of corruption.

Zuma knew about it.

He's a liar with the coupters. You You see there's one thing about a black man.

A black man will keep on fighting.

Wherever he take his brick or his petrol bomb, that is his weapon.

So if Zuma wants to see a black man fighting, let him keep on telling lies.

...