Gordhan not in our sights, say Hawks — just the special spying unit

The Hawks insisted on Thursday they were not probing former finance minister Pravin Gordhan, but the high-risk investigation unit at the South African Revenue Service (SARS). Former finance minister Trevor Manuel and his then deputy Jabu Moleketi have been subpoenaed, with requests for information on their knowledge of the unit and its work.

Business Day understands that one former SARS official who was part of the unit signed off on his final witness statement last week regarding “Project Sunday Evenings”, the alleged bugging of the National Prosecuting Authority offices.

Hawks spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi said on Thursday the final docket had not yet been sent to the NPA as the unit was waiting for responses from Manuel and Moleketi.

The Hawks last year also said they were not investigating Gordhan, yet this culminated in him facing charges related to an administrative matter that was later abandoned by NPA boss Shaun Abrahams.

The Sunday Times in 2014 ran a series of reports about an alleged “rogue unit” at SARS, which had bugged President Jacob Zuma and had run a brothel. The reports have since been debunked, but SARS head Tom Moyane lodged a criminal complaint regarding the unit with the Hawks in 2015, which resulted in an investigation with Gordhan at the centre when he was reappointed in 2015.