Like many of my fellow citizens I too moaned until frothy bits of bile and vitriol overcome me after learning a wealthy family jetted in a bunch of people from the subcontinent into South Africa via a military base all so they could get to a wedding on time. Just further proof - if you have more money than dirt, you can go anywhere... including specially arranged sight-seeing trips to national key points such as an air force base. But wait, that's not all! If your bank accounts are bulging into the billions you can also arrange for police escorts and bend the arms of officials, not just of one government, but two! The exploits of the Gupta's might as well be documented in a reality TV show, that's how mad and tacky the family's display of wealth has become. I can see the TV teasers: Guptawood: The Tales of the Rich and Idiotic. I see A Bolly-wood-esque production complete with protocol-bending, preferential treatment and some curry.
Like billions across the world I too, from time to time, daydream of having billions in my bank account. Wouldn't that solve all of our problems? On paper maybe, but with mo' money, come mo' problems, to quote any number of hip hop artists. I've personally witnessed relatives who've come into fortunes have their entire lives turned around (mostly for the worse) as they learn being rich means just that - you are now rich, but you remain 'poor' in some many other aspects of life. That old cliche, money doesn't buy you class, can be elaborated on to extend to other areas. It also doesn't buy you happiness or an escape from the world's problems or personal malaise. Not so for the Guptas.
Their influence has secured lucrative business deals, along with equally fruitful political connections. It seems at times they have some much wealth, they can buy entire governments and countries. What is South Africa's price?
Throughout what's now be dubbed Guptagate, the only people to emerge from the scandal unscathed are the Guptas. At no stage did I sense any stress within the family's ranks as this scandal unfolded, each revelation as bizarre and stunning as the next. Life went on as per usual for a family clearly used to creating an alternate universe around them where money and power rules supreme above laws, logic and common sense. As the fallout from the now controversial and alarmingly audacious landing of a private jet, chartered by the Guptas, at Waterkloof airforce base continues, the only people still standing are relatives of the powerful Indian family.
As arrogant as the family may now seem, it's made even more shocking by the tone of some relatives, more noticeably the Gupta brothers. I think it was Atul Gupta who issued a statement as heads were rolling and government officials were left stumbling and fumbling for answers, who indicated the furore has not dampened the wedding celebrations. Well, I'm so relieved for the family! Another statement was We wouldn't want a pesky national security breach interfering with your ostentatious and disgusting money grandstanding now would we?!
It was amid this tawdry, grandiose approach to wealth and the abuse of power I came to the conclusion: I'm actually happy I'm not rich. Money makes you moggy (and I'm mad enough as it is.) Sure, a few million Rand in the bank could just very well maybe, perhaps almost help bring a daily smile to my splenetic face. But would it make me a better person on the whole? Would it solve all my problems? No. With lots of money you can create lots of troubles. Not so for the Gupta's it seems. They seem to make their fortunes work every time, leaving us ordinary people; who don't have the ears of presidents, who can't afford lavish weddings, who can't set up massive companies with politically connected people; sitting on the sidelines witnessing how power (and cash) corrupts and robs one of their senses and humanity,
