FINANCE Minister Pravin Gordhan says he will not meet the Hawks, who summoned him to appear at their office today to obtain a warning statement.
Gordhan confirmed yesterday that his attorneys received a letter from the Hawks requesting that he appear at their offices today.
“I have taken legal counsel. . . I am advised that I am under no legal obligation to present myself to the Hawks as directed in their letter. I have decided not to,” Gordhan said. He also said he was advised, in no uncertain terms, by Hawks head General Ntlemeza that he was not a suspect.
The Hawks are investigating a tax surveillance unit within Sars established in 2007. This morning five accused of acting improperly were supposed to provide a statement about allegations against them.
Although Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi denied a meeting had been set, a source confirmed it.
“The meeting will take place at 10am and the statement will be handed over to the NPA to decide whether to prosecute.
“It is standard procedure. No one will be arrested,” said the source. Treasury spokeswoman Phumza Macanda did not respond to questions.
Non-governmental organisation Equal Education yesterday said: “Since returning to the ministry in December Gordhan has held the line against individuals linked to Zuma. Now Zuma appears to be moving against Gordhan only days after announcing that he will personally chair a new state-owned entities co-ordinating committee.
“In other words Zuma has put himself in charge of overseeing SAA, Eskom and many other parastatals, but the money sits with Treasury, so Gordhan remains an obstacle.”
