Ntsele breaks conspiracy of silence as Guptas prepare to pounce on unbribeable ACSA boss

Communications strategist Dominic Ntsele is one of South Africa's ultimate insiders. Deeply connected within the political and business elite, he is the go-to man for the rich and powerful suffering a serious reputational crisis. His past clients range from President Jacob Zuma and soccer boss Irwin Khoza to murdered mining magnate Brett Kebble. We've engaged personally and professionally for a couple decades so it wasn't strange to see his name come up on my phone this morning. What was a surprise, though is his decision to come on the record to expose how the Gupta State Capture machine has thrived on what Ntsele calls "a conspiracy of silence." He says his decision to break cover was inspired by Deputy Finmin Mcebisi Jonas - whose courage in exposing the Guptas encouraged Ntsele to commit that when he next came across something similar, he would speak up. The opportunity has emerged with a Gupta-inspired campaign to eject ACSA boss Bongani Maseko who is set to face trumped-up charges in an internal "kangaroo court". Maseko, who attended the Embry-Riddle Aureonautical University in Florida and held senior positions at US airports before joining ACSA 15 years ago, has been with ACSA for a decade and a half. He was the local airport management company's COO from 2004 and CEO since May 2013. A member of ANC royalty and a respected manager, he refused to entertain those who tried to persuade him to "feed" them, including the Guptas who wanted him to turn OR Tambo International Airport into their private airfield. After Maseko refused this outrageous demand, the Guptas switched their attention to the Airforce Base at Waterkloof which was commandeered for wedding guests flown in from India. With the imminent release of the Public Protector's State Capture report which incriminates them, it beggars belief that even now the Guptas are up to their tricks. But such is the blindness of delusion. Reminds one of Nero's fiddling while Rome burned.