The presidency was quick to reassure the public that Minister Gordhan’s position is safe: “Other reports have insinuated that the position of Minister Gordhan could be in jeopardy”.
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National Treasury and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan equate an effort by the Hawks to destabilise it ahead of the tabling of this week’s budget speech as a second attempted coup on the powerhouse department.
Mr Gordhan was the Commissioner at SARS at the time when the covert unit was allegedly established.
The Hawks never meant to investigate Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan – he was merely the “suitable man to talk to”, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation said on Monday. The finance minister later denied this, but reiterated that Monyane would be redeployed.
He said media reports that Zuma should dismiss Moyane are also not helpful.
The DA said Zuma was in “full damage control mode desperately trying to keep the political lid on the internal civil war, which has broken out over the so-called “rogue unit” within SARS”.
“There are prescripts within government which stipulate the processes to be utilised to resolve labour relations issues or disputes within the work environment”.
The difficulty in the relationship between the Minister of Finance and the SARS Commissioner is being dealt with through the correct channels using the correct legal prescripts.
Zuma had already started meeting with Gordhan and Moyane on the matter before the State of the Nation Address earlier this month, said Majola.
He said: “Measures are being put in place to address the issues responsibly and amicably, for the benefit of all”.
The debacle has since evolved to Gordhan alluding to Moyane’s use of the Hawks as a mechanism for intimidation, saying on Friday he had received a questionnaire from the investigating body just days before he was due to release the Budget.
Mantashe said this action was mischievous.
Gordhan emphasised that he was appointed by Zuma and was serving at his pleasure.
The currency had firmed almost 2% on Monday after Zuma’s statement.
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According to the City Press, the president is in an awkward position as Monyane is known to be a Zuma loyalist – while Gordhan is fairly independent-minded, and reportedly clashes with the president.
