CAPE TOWN, August 24 (ANA) – Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his lawyer made plain on Wednesday that he would not present himself to the Hawks on Thursday, as he was bidden along with four former senior SARS officials, to answer to allegations about a so-called rogue spy unit set up in the revenue service while he was commissioner.
Gordhan said there was no reason to do so as he had already answered the Hawks’s questions in this regard earlier in the year and had been advised by the head of the unit, Berning Ntlemeza, that he was not a suspect in the probe. He therefore wished to be left in peace to focus on his job, the minister said.
“I was advised in no uncertain terms by the Head of the HAWKS, General Ntlemeza, in his letter of 20 May 2016, in response to my attorney’s enquiry, that I am not a suspect in the HAWKS’ investigation,†Gordhan said.
He said his lawyer had advised him that further allegations made by the Hawks in a letter he received on Monday, were not based in fact.
“These alleged contraventions are dealt with in detail in my attorneys’ attached letter. Suffice it to say they advise that the alleged charges are wholly unfounded. I therefore, do not intend to present myself for a warning statement for many considerations, both legal and given my other commitments.â€
Gordhan said he remained available to help the Hawks with any “bona fide investigationâ€.
He addded in parting: “I have a job to do in a difficult economic environment and serve South Africa as best I can. Let me do my job.â€
In a letter to the Hawks, made available to the media by the finance ministry, Gordhan’s lawyer Tebogo Malatji said the minister would not appear before the Hawks and stressed that he believed, in any event, he had nothing further to say in response to their letter from Monday.
“Minister Gordhan is unable to meet with Brigadier Xaba at 14h00 on Thursday 25 August 2016. He in any event has no more to say about the matters raised in your letter under reply,†Malatji wrote.
“If you require further information, however, you are welcome to approach us again because the Minister has instructed us to assist wherever we can,†he added
– African News Agency (ANA)
