JOHANNESBURG - The African Transformation Movement (ATM) on Tuesday said it will request Parliament to probe the fitness of Pravin Gordhan to be an MP in the wake of adverse findings against him by the Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
In a statement the ATM said it was "learning with shock about the continuing revelations of the enormity of Mr Pravin Gordhan’s transgressions first made known in the May 24 release of the Public Protector’s Report".
ATM National Spokesperson Mandisa Mashiya said the offences date back to the era when Gordhan was finance minister.
"The movement will formally request the Speaker of Parliament to convene an urgent appropriate ad hoc committee to consider Gordhan’s fitness as a Member of Parliament (MP)."
The statement added: "In the inviolable spirit of the clean governance dictum of President Ramaphosa’s new dawn for government
and South Africa, Gordhan is implored to suspend his participation in all structures of government until his
name is cleared.
"South Africa can simply not afford to have elected and appointed individuals tainted by a grand authority
such as the public protector."
Gordhan has rejected the findings and is taking the matter on review. His lawyers said he had already launched his court action.
"We confirm that a review application was lodged this morning with the Pretoria High Court on behalf of our client, Mr Pravin Gordhan, to review and set aside the Report by the Public Protector that was issued on Friday last week," said a statement from Malatji Kanyane Attorneys issued on Tuesday.
"The court is asked to review and set aside, and declare unconstitutional, unlawful, irrational and invalid, the Public Protector’s Report No 24 of 2019/20, including the findings and her proposed remedial action;
"Declare that the public protector failed to comply with her duties under sections 6 and 7 of the Public Protector Act and section 182 of the Constitution.
"Review and set aside, and declare unconstitutional, unlawful, irrational and invalid, the Public Protector’s decision to investigate a complaint older that two years without compelling reasons to do, as per section 6(9) of the Public Protector Act; and grant a personal cost order against Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane."