If the Gupta family only came to South Africa to steal state money and become fabulously wealthy, we could have written off this tragic chapter in our history as a bad episode we could learn from.

But it is now becoming abundantly clear that they have a devastating impact on our democracy, our freedom, our economy and our political culture.

The Guptas’ toxic presence, their subversion of our public discourse and compromising of so many politicians and civil servants have torn our national fabric and will take a long time to undo.