South African police open inquiry after government contract emails leaked | Reuters

By Mfuneko Toyana and TJ Strydom | JOHANNESBURG JOHANNESBURG South Africa's elite police unit opened an inquiry on Monday after thousands of emails relating to alleged fraud in awarding government contracts were leaked, adding to a graft scandal that has deepened splits in the ruling African National Congress.Last week, AmaBhungane, a non-profit group that has a strong track record of exposing what it says is government corruption, released some of more than 100,000 leaked emails and documents."An inquiry has been opened ... obviously, we will look at the authenticity of these emails, how were they leaked, but this is something that we've just started," a spokeman for the Hawks police unit, Hangwani Mulaudzi, said.AmaBhungane said last week the emails show companies owned by the Gupta family unduly influence the awarding of government contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Reuters was not independently able to verify the allegations.Zuma has denied wrongdoing and the Gupta family and its companies have also denied all allegations of influence-peddling or improper dealings.Gary Naidoo, a spokesman for the Gupta family, did not respond to calls from Reuters for comment on Monday

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