Kathrada, Motlanthe, Sisulu among ANC heavyweights who will support Gordhan in court

12 October 2016 - 17:49 By Staff Writer
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ANC heavyweights including former president Kgalema Motlanthe, veteran Ahmed Kathrada, tourism minister Derek Hanekom and former speaker, Max Sisulu will be present to lend their support to Pravin Gordhan when he appears in court on fraud charges in November.

The National Prosecuting Authority has announced that is pursuing fraud charges against the finance minister in relation to his approval of an early retirement package for senior SARS official, Ivan Pillay.

Kathrada said: “I will be there to accompany Pravin to court. I’m sure that I will be joined by other noard members of the Foundation, who include Derek Hanekom, Laloo Chiba, Max Sisulu, Kgalema Motlanthe, Barbara Hogan, Prema Naidoo and Sophie Williams-De Bruyn, amongst others.”

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The Kathrada Foundation said it "shared the stalwart’s sentiments on the need to show solidarity with the Finance Minister and his fellow accused, Ivan Pillay and Oupa Magashula."

Pillay and Magashula have also been summoned to court over the matter

“We encourage South Africans to demonstrate their moral support for Gordhan, especially on November 2 at the Pretoria Regional Court, where he is expected to appear,” said the Foundation’s Director, Neeshan Balton.

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“We trust that once this matter is concluded in Court, Minister Gordhan will come out with his integrity remaining intact,” Balton said.

“Minister Gordhan stands for clean governance, economic stability and ‘ethical leadership’, as noted by Gauteng Premier and Kathrada Foundation Board member, David Makhura yesterday. These values must be supported by all democrats,” said Balton. “Decent and democratic-minded South Africans will not allow economic instability to prevail, and they should not allow Minister Gordhan to be put under pressure to resign,” added Balton.

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The Foundation said the charges were“nothing more than an attempt to lay the foundation for the removal of Gordhan from the post of Finance Minister”.

“We also share the sentiments of many who have questioned the timing of these charges as it comes just weeks before the medium term budget statement and a few days before the release of the Public Protector’s report into state capture. Treasury stands as the bulwark against many of the schemes aimed at short-changing the people of South Africa,” Balton said.

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