Manuel hits out at state corrupters

‘Those implicated should go to jail’

Former finance minister Trevor Manuel says those implicated in state corruption should go to jail.

“People should go to jail because of how they have been covered and how this rot was allowed to continue in the way that it has,” Manuel told EWN yesterday.

“The consequences are a brake on growth in this country. If we were growing fast‚ we wouldn’t have energy. If the economy is not growing‚ people can’t get jobs.”

Manuel said KPMG should produce documents to prove how it had arrived at the findings of an investigation into an intelligence unit at the South African Revenue Service.

His comments come after the auditing firm lost clients for its handling of the accounts of the Gupta family. The firm has been accused of contributing to the family securing multibillion-rand government contracts with state-owned entities.

The firm’s dealings with the Guptas have resulted in major multinational companies discontinuing the retention of its services. The SARS “rogue unit” report cost the economy billions of rands.

It was used in the ousting of finance minister Pravin Gordhan and the attempt to bring criminal charges against him.

The report was commissioned by SARS commissioner Tom Moyane‚ who went on to lay criminal charges against those involved with the “rogue unit”.

Meanwhile, the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors CEO Bernard Agulhas told parliament’s finance committee yesterday that its meeting with KPMG executives last week was part of its investigation into the auditing firm’s conduct in relation to Gupta-owned companies

He said the international leadership had committed themselves to cooperate and to provide all the necessary information.