Ex-Sars duo mum on Hawks experience

AFTER spending more than four hours in Pretoria central offices of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), better known as the Hawks, former SA Revenue Services officials, Ivan Pillay and Johann van Loggerenberg, evaded a barrage of questions from throngs of media waiting outside.

Mobbed by journalists as they left the building, Robert Levine, counsel for the pair made a brief statement.

“My clients wish to thank civil society for the support. My clients consider the allegations to be baseless. They will be following due process in accordance with their rights. Thank you and that is all we are going to answer now,” said Levine before walking away with Pillay.

Sufficient

Pressed for comments on how the process had gone since they presented themselves at the Hawks office, Pillay and Van Loggerenberg repeatedly said Levine’s statement was sufficient.

The former Sars senior officials entered the Hawks offices before 9am and only emerged after 1pm.

Outside the offices, scores of civil society activists and journalists were waiting along the busy Visagie Street.

Earlier, one of the activists, renowned human rights activist advocate George Bizos said the use of criminal prosecutions against targeted individuals in South Africa was a major cause for concern. – ANA