South Africa’s Zuma says action by banks to close Gupta accounts “suspicious”

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – South African President Jacob Zuma said on Wednesday the action by nation’s four biggest lenders to stop doing business with the wealthy Gupta was “suspicious” and required to be probed.

“Here there was an action by a number of banks at the same time. It suggests that there is something untoward here. And as government we wanted to constructively to interact with the banks,” Zuma told parliament.

Several South African companies, including all four major banks, cut links in April with companies associated with the Gupta family whose ties to Zuma have stirred controversy.

(Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Editing by James Macharia)