[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has laid charges of treason against former communications minister Faith Muthambi.

Muthambi, who was controversially appointed as minister of public service & administration earlier this year in a cabinet reshuffle, is “involved in state capture and has been captured by the Guptas”, Outa said in a statement on Monday.

“Her transgressions are so serious that they merit treason charges. Charges were laid at the Brixton police station in Johannesburg,” the organisation said.

The charges relate to decisions Muthambi made while communications minister, including her appointment of former SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

“In 2015, the Western Cape high court found that Muthambi acted irrationally and unlawfully in her appointment of Motsoeneng as chief operating officer of the SABC because of the public protector’s findings against him of abuses of power, fraud and maladministration,” Outa said.

“Muthambi’s abuse of power led to the SABC’s current financial crisis, plunging it into billions of rand of debt,” it added.

‘Confidential’

Outa is also enraged over allegations, which have emerged in the so-called “Gupta Leaks” e-mails, that Muthambi “knowingly and deliberately shared three confidential cabinet memorandums, through e-mails with Tony Gupta, Duduzane Zuma and Sahara’s CEO, Ashu Chawla”.

“These people should never have been privy to any ministerial communication and policy discussions,” said Outa special projects portfolio director Dominique Msibi in the statement.