Two business rescue practitioners appointed to oversee some of the Gupta businesses are on the warpath after having to defend themselves against court action to have them removed. A Times Select report notes an urgent application to challenge the appointment of Louis Klopper and Kurt Knoop is set to be heard in the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) tomorrow.

Deriko Mining and Exploration director Andile Qaku brought the application, saying the pair are ‘not independent’ and were appointed to ‘do the bidding of their masters’, in an apparent reference to the Gupta family.

But Klopper and Knoop have hit back, challenging Qaku’s standing to bring the application and accusing him of defamation.

Eight Gupta-linked companies resolved in February to appoint Klopper and Knoop. Klopper told Times Select on Friday that if the urgent court application against them failed, their next step would be to sue for defamation. He threatened to sue Rudi Kruger – the attorney acting on behalf of Qaku – for comments he made in the media where he was quoted as saying they were tainted by the Guptas.

Times Select understands that Deriko was registered in January and Qaku was appointed as a director in February. Qaku is asking the court to set aside the appointment of Knoop and Klopper and appoint new business rescue practitioners.

Full Times Select report