WATCH: We'd become a banana republic - Zuma on why he can't intervene in Gordhan prosecution

President Jacob Zuma has reiterated that he can't intervene in the legal processes relating to the investigation of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.

Answering a question in the National Council of Provinces on Tuesday afternoon‚ Zuma said this could lead the country to becoming a banana republic.

"This country adheres to the Constitution and the rule of law. No individual is given the right within that to interfere with independent processes and decisions of independent institutions. I think if this president was to interfere with any matter‚ either of Chapter 9 institutions or other institutions‚ then it would closer to a banana republic‚" said Zuma.

This response comes as a group of South African business leaders have also called on Zuma to intervene and stop what they call attacks on the finance minister by the Hawks‚ warning it threatens to devastate the economy.

Business Leadership South Africa penned an open letter to the president in August after Gordhan said he would not be presenting himself to the Hawks receive a warning letter.

"Once the law enforcement agencies act and take matters to court‚ only the court can look and judge on that matter. No individual can come and intervene…. I'm not sure if the member is suggesting that I should be intervening whenever there is an arrest‚" said Zuma.

The president also batted away questions relating to the agenda of the meeting he attended at Luthuli House where National Prosecuting Authority head Shaun Abrahams was present‚ a day before confirming his decision to charge Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan with fraud.

"The meeting that the honourable member is referring to… that meeting was a meeting between the president and the security cluster‚ discussing a totally different matter‚" Zuma said.

The Sunday Times reported that Abrahams had met Zuma and three Cabinet ministers at the African National Congress headquarters on October 10‚ a day before he announced that Gordhan would be charged with fraud.

Democratic Alliance MP Glynnis Breytenbach has since challenged Abrahams to declare publicly the real reasons behind his visit to Luthuli House‚ saying that if he has nothing to hide‚ he should make the minutes of the meeting publicly available.

- TMG Digital