Zuma’s wealthy Indian allies burgled in South Africa

South African police arrested a housekeeper after a break-in at the upmarket Johannesburg home of controversial Indian moguls closely linked to President Jacob Zuma, a spokesman said Thursday.

Three men overpowered a gardener and made off with cash, household goods and jewellery on Wednesday at a house belonging to the Gupta family in Houghton, the suburb where Nobel Peace laureate Nelson Mandela lives.

“It is (worth) more than a million rand ($100,000),” police spokesman Lungelo Dlamini told AFP.

The housekeeper disappeared after the robbery, but was arrested late Wednesday.

“The domestic worker was found in possession of some of the stolen goods,” said Dlamini.

The well-connected Guptas sparked outrage in May after flying in wedding guests from India to a military base on the outskirts of Pretoria without proper authorisation.

They have close ties to Zuma and the African National Congress ruling party and own a newspaper and television news channel.