Cape Town – The South African Communist Party (SACP) has thrown its weight behind claims by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan that there was ulterior motive behind espionage allegations levelled against him.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the SACP went further, lashing out at Berning Ntlemeza, the man in charge of South Africa’s specialised crime fighting unit, the Hawks.
“The conduct of the Hawks under Ntlemeza’s stewardship is increasingly leaving much to be desired, and indeed reflects politically motivated, factional and private agendas,” SACP spokesman Alex Mashilo said.
“Cloning such agendas as if they were the law taking its course, and therefore abusing state power to pursue them, is completely unacceptable.”
While affirming its position that anyone should be investigated without fear or favour, the SACP said the Hawks investigation of Gordhan smacks of apartheid-era tactics of “factionally isolating and targeting some of the leaders of our revolution and other members of our society”.
“It is in the same context that the stalwart of our liberation struggle, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, who has become a barrier against the looting of public resources, is visibly being isolated and targeted. This is as wrong as the work of information peddlers who spread malicious information, and must be equally condemned,” said Mashilo.
“The Minister and his Deputy Mcebisi Jonas – who blew the whistle on machinations by the Guptas – have the support of the SACP in protecting public resources.”
Earlier Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi reacted to a statement on Tuesday night by Gordhan in which he said that agencies of the state had an agenda to harass and intimidate him.
“We are not going to even engage in politics, that’s a political statement,” Mulaudzi said.
“At the same time, any investigation that is being undertaken, we have taken a decision that we won’t do that through the media,” he said. “Even ourselves, we were shocked with the (Sunday Times) report and we have come out clearly to say we are distancing ourselves from that report.
“There were media inquiries and we came out clearly that we are not going to engage this matter in the public space, but also we put it on record that such irresponsible reporting, we don’t want to associate ourselves with.
“It’s public knowledge that there were questions sent to him (Gordhan), at the same time we said it’s not an investigation against the minister. They were clarity seeking questions, that’s all.”
Mulaudzi added that the docket related to the so-called rogue unit and that the National Director of Public Prosecutions had confirmed there was a docket, “but he never said anything about him being arrested”.
“We don’t know where this arrest is coming from.”
In the statement issued on Tuesday, Gordhan had expressed shock at reports of his imminent arrest, saying it had been distressing for him and his family.
“I cannot believe that I am being investigated and could possibly be charged for something I am completely innocent of. I have answered the questions submitted by the Hawks, and have not heard from them. I was not aware of any impending charges or further investigations until the [media] reports in the past weekend,” the minister said.
Media reported on Sunday that the Hawks were poised to arrest him and other officials over the formation of an intelligence unit within the SA Revenue Service while he was its commissioner.
“The malicious rumours and accusations about ‘espionage’ activities are false and manufactured for other motives,” said Gordhan.
The media reports that Gordhan would be arrested were swiftly denied by President Jacob Zuma’s office on Sunday, but Gordhan has been seen as a political target since he was brought back to the finance portfolio in December.
It emerged shortly after Gordhan delivered the 2016 budget in February that days earlier he had been sent a list of questions relating to the intelligence unit, which he insists was established legally. This prompted African National Congress secretary general Gwede Mantashe to say there was a plot to undermine Gordhan. The presidency also issued a denial on this occasion.
Gordhan on Tuesday evening said he had sought legal advice and his counsel would approach the leadership of both the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority for further information and clarity.
African News Agency