Attackers seek to pocket public funds, say Gordhan

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has spoken out against attacks on National Treasury during a post-national budget breakfast show hosted by the SABC yesterday.

Gordhan, who tabled his R1.56 trillion budget on Wednesday, has suggested that the attacks against Treasury were spearheaded by “those who have ulterior motives to pocket public funds”.

“They have an orchestrated campaign with fake Twitter and Facebook accounts and an entire channel dedicated to attack National Treasury,” Gordhan said.

“What is there to hide at the end of the day? And why has National Treasury all of a sudden become so important? Those are the questions South Africans need to ask in all earnestness and try to get some answers.”

Last week, Treasury cautioned the public and media about what it called a “disinformation campaign” against the minister.

“In the past few days, attacks and unfounded allegations have been made to misdirect the leadership’s focus. Coupled with that are allegations that are reported without establishing the veracity thereof,” Treasury spokesperson Yolisa Tyantsi said at the time.

Gordhan questioned why Treasury was a target of the campaign when it was just one part of government and not the only ministry responsible for infrastructure that should be scrutinised.

When asked why he used the word “transformation” 50 times in his speech instead of “radical economic transformation”, as mentioned by President Jacob Zuma in his State of the Nation address earlier this month, Gordhan had a different opinion.

“What are the slogan and narrative about? Is it about empowering the marginalised and poor?

“Or is it about the covering up of patronage where a select few benefit from the process and the marginalised are left behind? Will these slogans take us back to last year, [when] people are trying to get access to the public purse?” he responded.