The ANC expressed concern on Monday that a spat between Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and the Hawks was playing out in the public domain.
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In his statement, Gordhan says he wants to know where this mysterious letter is and how one journalist appears to have it while he, as the person it is addressed to, does not. Gordhan said if a Treasury official “crossed the line” they would take action.
State capture has become synonymous in SA with the influence by the politically connected Gupta family on President Jacob Zuma and his allies in the government and the African National Congress. Days before he delivered his Budget, the Hawks sent him a list of questions about the so-called rogue spy unit.
“All we can say is that we are going to do our best at least to convince the rating agencies to give us at least six to 12 months to be able to demonstrate that what we have and our intent about what we have can in fact be implemented”, Gordhan told eNCA.
Gordhan said he was not above the law and will answer the questions but can not meet the deadline due to work pressure.
Asked if he had ever met with the Guptas, he said: “The answer is “no”. These investors collectively manage several trillions of dollar assets, split between those who are invested in local companies and those who buy the debt issued by government.
He said he told investors: “As a country we have showed a great deal of fiscal discipline over the last 20 years” and that there was space for further cuts “if the circumstances don’t change”. “The key message we come back with is that the world is watching South Africa very carefully, the investor world”, said Gordhan.
“We need to be aware as South Africans that we need to provide very concrete evidence that we are not just talking”.
Amid slower growth and rising inflation in the country, rating agency Moody’s said last week that it will visit South Africa from March 16 to 18 before making a decision on its investment status.
“Our immediate task – all of us – is to avoid a downgrade”.
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Throughout Monday’s press conference the minister emphasised that the government, business and labour need to commit to improving the economy and harness their different resources to confront the current challenges.
