Cape Town – President Jacob Zuma is going by the book in resolving the standoff between Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and South African Revenue Service Commissioner Tom Moyane, Cabinet said on Thursday.
“President Zuma is dealing with the matter of the South African Revenue Service commissioner and the minister of finance through the correct channels using correct legal prescripts,” according to a statement on its regular fortnightly meeting on Wednesday.
It comes after Gordhan questioned the Hawks’s mandate for sending him three pages with questions relating to the alleged running of a rogue intelligence unit within the revenue service. The elite investigating unit sent the questions to Gordhan days before he delivered the 2016 last week and demanded he respond by Wednesday this week.
The minister, through his lawyers, declined to meet the deadline, saying he would respond to the set of 27 questions once he had time to examine them properly and determine what information he could provide.
He also demanded to know on what authority the Hawks were acting when they sent him the list.
“We request the following information to assist him in preparing his response: On what authority do you rely on directing these questions to the honourable minister? Are you investigating any offence? If so, what is it?” the lawyer’s letter released by National Treasury asked.
On Wednesday, Police Minister Nathi Nhleko attempted to answer the question by saying the Hawks were ordered to investigate allegations of illicit spying within Sars after the revenue service itself lodged a complaint.
Constitutional law expert Pierre de Vos has also questioned the standing of the Hawks’s probe, arguing that it had no place to investigate a matter that is not criminal.
Gordhan last week went public on the fallout between him and Moyane, in a day which saw contradictory statements from Zuma and his ruling African National Congress.
The ANC said the Hawks’s demand for information, and the timing thereof, was meant to undermine Gordhan. Zuma said this was not the case.
On Thursday, Cabinet said Zuma was seeking an amicable solution to the row.
“The president is putting measures in place to address the issues responsibly and amicably for the benefit of all. Cabinet calls on all interested parties to exercise calm and restraint, and allow space for the matters to be resolved using correct channels.”
African News Agency