Gordhan should tell Duduzane to go to court

Political analyst Shadrack Gutto says the best thing that can be done by President Jacob Zuma’s son‚ Duduzane‚ is to go court instead of threatening legal action against former finance minister Pravin Gordhan.

In an open letter written by Duduzane to Gordhan‚ he argued that the former finance minister should shoulder some of the blame for the country’s economic crisis. Duduzane then asked Gordhan to refrain from making negative public statements about him and the Guptas.

“I am selling my shares to be able to focus my time on clearing my name. At this point I would advise you to refrain from further public statements which could affect the current sales and my reputation. I reserve my rights to pursue legal action for the harm you are causing‚” Duduzane said.

Gutto said Gordhan only stated facts that he knew as a finance minister.

“[He stated] things which if the Zumas go to court will be established whether they were true or not. He indicated that there was a lot of interference‚ bending of rules‚ bribing‚ money laundering‚ privileging the Zuma family in some of the businesses that were being done.

“I think it will be wonderful or very informative if this matter goes to court. Each side will be able to present evidence….Whatever the court decides‚ it will help us put some light into a situation which looks clumsy and clouded in accusations and counter accusations.

“I think that Pravin Gordhan should actually say [to Duduzane] go to court…His threats at this point is not helpful but he has the freedom to do so…We are now seeking the truth. The public is also seeking the truth. Trying to threaten Pravin Gordhan from a political point of view is not helpful at all. It will not take us to the truth‚” said Gutto.

Duduzane’s attack on Gordhan follows on the heels of his brother‚ Edward‚ heckling the former finance minister during a Gandhi Memorial Lecture in Mountain Rise‚ Pietermaritzburg.

Gutto said these open public attacks on Pravin were an indicator that the Guptas are “feeling the heat”.

“When the election takes place in December [and it happens that] Zuma is no longer the president of the ANC‚ the leadership may remove him from being the president of the country…If that happens‚ the Gupta family is in a big trouble. I think they have invested a lot‚” he said.

However‚ if Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma were to win at the ANC elective conference in December‚ things would not change drastically.