Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan
Photo by: Duane Daws
The police investigation into the so-called rogue unit at the South African Revenue Service (Sars) when Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan was at the helm of the institution is yet to be finalised, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) boss Shaun Abrahams said on Tuesday.
Abrahams and his team was briefing Parliament portfolio committee on justice on the NPA’s annual performance plan when Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Werner Horn asked about the possible prosecution of Gordhan, much to the chagrin of African National Congress (ANC) MPs who tried to shut him down.
ANC MP Chana Pilane-Majake accused Horn of “political grandstanding”, saying that the NPA could not be expected to expand on specific cases before it.
“I would venture to say that I have the right and duty to raise these matters even if it is an inconvenient situation for other members,” Horn argued.
Committee chairperson Mathole Motshekga left it to Abrahams to choose whether he would respond.
“The reality is that the matter is not serving before me. The matter is under investigation by the police,” said Abrahams, adding that it would only land on his desk when the probe was finalised.
“My powers are powers of review. I’d like to stop at that.”
Last year, Abrahams withdrew charges against Gordhan and two former Sars employees, Oupa Magashule and Ivan Pillay, relating to the early retirement of the latter.
However, the finance minister could still face charges over the establishment of an alleged rogue unit at Sars when he was commissioner. The unit is alleged to have spied on politicians.
In November last year, Abrahams told MPs that the investigation into the Sars rogue unit was “at an advanced stage”.