'Where are they getting their instructions from?' Pravin Gordhan on fraud charges

11 October 2016 - 13:25 By Penelope Mashego
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Finance minister Pravin Gordhan has questioned why the Hawks have issued him a summons just 15 days before he delivers his medium term budget.

A police officer had arrived at his house and office to deliver the summons‚ he revealed.

Gordhan was responding to reports that the Hawks had served him with a summons on alleged charges of fraud on Tuesday morning.

“What is it about this country and some in this country [politicians and those in the law] who choose these times to do these things?” asked Gordhan.

He reminded the audience that the news of his impending arrest had broken in February‚ also just before he delivered his budget speech.

  • NPA summons Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan to appear in courtFinance Minister Pravin Gordhan has been summoned to appear in court‚ National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams announced on Tuesday. 

Gordhan stopped his open tender seminar speech‚ midway to address the news of the summons.

Earlier he had spent a few minutes speaking on the phone behind the stage at the Gallagher convention centre in Midrand‚ as Gauteng Premier David Makhura spoke to the audience.

The minister found himself in a battle with the Hawks this year since the police unit announced earlier this year that it was investigating the establishment of a so-called rogue unit when he was SA Revenue Service commissioner.

He said his family had called him earlier‚ saying that a police officer had knocked on his door to deliver the summons but he was not present.

The officer then went to the Treasury but Gordhan said he did not know what might have happened there.

“Given the fiscal austerity‚ they might not have been given tea‚” he said to the crowd's amusement.

Gordhan added that he expects he will have to appear in court on November 2.

He urged the audience to question the motives behind the actions of the Hawks‚ eliciting applause from the crowd.

“Where are they [the Hawks]‚ getting their instructions from and for what purpose‚” he asked‚ adding that it looked like South Africa was in for a little bit of excitement.

Gordhan got a standing ovation from the audience at the seminar after he made his speech.

- TMG Digital/BDLive

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