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Nathan Kirsh, the DAgang Billionaire Donor Revealed?

Mike Hampton Posted on by

Billionaire Nathan Kirsh

Nathan Kirsh, a Jewish billionaire with links to several foreign governments, and whose family ran Primedia, was funding Mamphela Ramphele and Agang, and likely the donor pushing for the merger with the DA.

Kirsh has admitted knowing Ramphele and Zille but won’t comment on the DAgang.

Helen Zille has yet to reveal the details of how the merger came about, or if Kirsh is a DA donor, but has instead ensured that press statements slam Ramphele for deceit. Considering the many media that have shouted headlines against Ramphele, it’s a diversionary tactic that has so far worked. Unfortunately, it brings South Africa no nearer to the truth and the spirit of democracy.

WHO IS NATHAN KIRSH?

Kirsh was born in South Africa but carries a Swazi passport, having left our country in 1986. He has homes and residency status in the UK and the US.  His companies are registered in tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands and Liberia.

He is no stranger to mixing business with government and it’s no surprise to hear that he’s a property developer i.e. if proven that he is a DA donor or was the proposer of DAgang, it’s important to note the DA’s bias to property developers over the will of the public e.g. the Knysna ISDF tender award:

  • His Kirsh Holdings Group owns Swazi Plaza Properties in equal partnership with the government-owned Swaziland Industrial Development Company (SIDC).
  • Ki Corporation is into forestry, sugar and property development. As a primary shareholder of KiFin Limited, it failed in an attempt to take over the British property group, Minerva, with an offer equivalent to almost R1.3billion. KiFin Limited’s deputy chairman is Ron Sandler, advisor to Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the government-appointed Non-Executive Chairman of Northern Rock.
  • Many of his business ventures fall under The Eurona Foundation which is a trust organized in Liechtenstein and registered in the Republic of Liberia. Kirsh is trustee along with Prince Michael von Liechtenstein. Kirsh has controlling stock.
  • Mira Mag falls under said Eurona Foundation and is the controlling shareholder of Magal Security Systems, the Israeli security company which, in the words of ex-Jacob Even-Ezra, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, “is a manufacturer, developer, marketing and installer of security systems, mainly perimeter security systems. It started as a division of Israeli Aircraft Industry [still a shareholder] which is the biggest government outfit, to protect the borders of Israel.”  Was severely criticised as the main supplier of electronic fences for the controversial security fence project in the West Bank which was declared illegal by the International Court of Justice. Kirsh is a Director. Jacob Perry, former head of the Shin Ben security service, took over as CEO from Even-Ezra but resigned in 2013 when becoming a Member of Knesset, the Israeli Parliament.

As of 2012, Kirsh owned 42% of Abacus Property Group (ABP) Ltd., the publicly traded Sydney-based real estate investment trust. He has been quoted as saying that real estate is the only sector where “stupid people” can make money”. However, the financial muscle behind his myriad business ventures has come from delivering groceries in the US, particularly New York.

At one stage, Kirsh’s son was the Chairman of Primedia whilst his nephew was the CEO. Among many other businesses, Primedia owns Eye Witness News, KFM, 567 Cape Talk, 702 Talk Radio and 94.7. Other ventures include advertising (billboard and indoor), Sterkinekor and Campus TV. Primedia also operates in the Middle East.

Primedia’s main shareholder is the Mineworkers Investment Company, a self-described “black empowerment company”, led by a Board of Directors closely linked to BP South Africa. BP’s has said that they are not considering fracking for shale oil and gas in South Africa but contradicted with, “We have not as yet prioritised shale in South Africa.” Another major shareholder is Brait SA, South Africa’s largest private equity company which manages third-party capital committed by a combination of international and South African investors. They own large shares in companies such as Pepkor and Premier Foods but their rapid increase in profits is attributable to debt and hedge fund investing. Kirsh Consortium was a major shareholder but, notably, has reduced their holdings.

IS DEMOCRACY FOR SALE?

This is a web that any politician would love to spin themselves into. If that is true, are Helen Zille and Mamphela Ramphele spiders or insects?

There is no proof of influence but there’s definitely enough at play to deserve questions and answers.

Is democracy still democracy if it’s bought?

For further information, read ‘The DA’s Relationship with Nathan Kirsh & Glynnis Breytenbach’.

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!

Comments

Nathan Kirsh, the DAgang Billionaire Donor Revealed? — No Comments

  1. Whether the ANC or DA grows or shrinks, or a new party one day overcomes both of them, corruption of the body politic will continue and even worsen without structural changes in how political entities disclose their finances.
    To just blithely accept the corrupt status quo with a “nothing to see here, move on” smacks of a naivety endemic to SA voters and we will carry on being shafted, year in and year out, because of the sheeple mentality capable of publicly uttering such nonsense.
    Spend your time arguing with the politically brainwashed to convince them that the thieving must stop, and that there is no qualitative difference between your party stealing from you and the other guy’s party stealing from you.
    It is beyond time that political parties and their benefactors were regulated and their relationships subjected to proper oversight. We can keep bickering over who should expose themselves first or we can unite in our demands for the money to be shown.

  2. Who would have thought?
    Wealthy businessman has shares in many businesses, shock horror!
    Wealthy businessman gives money to a political party! This is a real expose’. What do you want to do now? Put him in jail?
    You can rest assured, this guy donates money to the ANC too, and for different reasons.
    Nothing to see here, move on. Political parties do not survive on membership fees.
    Donations to political parties are tax deductible whereas donations to a hospice are not.

    • The main point is that politicians are not being honest with us. Sure, you can throw your hands up in the air with more pretend shock and horror at that non-revelation but that doesn’t make it right. It makes it very wrong.

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