Glencore’s Optimum coal now in hands of S. African’s President family

Oakbay Investments, the firm controlled by the Gupta family and South African President Jacob Zuma’s son, completed Thursday the $145 million acquisition of Glencore’s (LON:GLEN) Optimum Coal unit.

Last year, Glencore put Optimum — the African nation’s third-largest opencast mine — into business rescue proceedings, a form of bankruptcy, after state power utility Eskom Holdings refused to amend an unprofitable coal-supply contract and reduce a 2 billion-rand fine.

The finalization of the deal, comes as Oakbay struggles to regain bankers’ trust.

In an e-mailed statement, Oakbay’s Tegeta Exploration & Resources said its immediate priority for Optimum is to boost production and secure the continued employment of the unit’s 3,000 employees.

The finalization of the deal, comes as Oakbay struggles to regain bankers’ trust as all four major South African banks broke all ties over criticism that its owners, the Gupta family, have undue political influence with President Zuma.

Optimum, in production since 1971, supplies coal to both export and local thermal coal customers.

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