The government should not meddle in the relationship between the Guptas and their banks, and must allow them to sort out their differences, African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said on Tuesday.

Mr Mantashe’s comments point to the difference in thinking on the Gupta saga among senior leaders of the governing party.

Leading banks — Absa, FNB, Nedbank and Standard Bank — withdrew their services from the family, as did their auditors KPMG and JSE sponsors, Sasfin.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that Mutual and Federal had joined other companies in cutting ties with firms associated with members of the Gupta family. A document showed that Mutual and Federal, through its underwriting arm, Credit Guarantee Insurance Corporation of Africa, had withdrawn its cover for Oakbay Investments.

Although these companies did not give reasons, citing client confidentiality, speculation is rife that the political controversy surrounding the family could have resulted in their collective action.

The Guptas are close to President Jacob Zuma and are in business with his son, Duduzane. The Cabinet has formed a task team made up of Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant to engage the banks on the closures.

But Mr Mantashe said it was not the responsibility of third parties to meddle in the relationship between the Guptas and their banks. Instead, the government task team should approach the banking regulator — the SA Reserve Bank — for clarity on the matter. A client and a bank had to "develop a relationship and be able to engage", he said.

"It can’t be our responsibility to talk or mitigate in that."

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