Ramaphosa backs Pravin in Sars wars
THE Sars wars escalated yesterday when Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa became the most senior official in the government to publicly back Pravin Gordhan in the proxy war with President Jacob Zuma.
Ramaphosa’s support for Gordhan yesterday came as pressure continued to mount on Zuma and the Hawks to leave the finance minister alone.
But the ANC Youth League, which is firmly in Zuma’s corner in the ANC, urged Gordhan to co-operate with the Hawks to avoid any drama and a decline in the rand.
It appears calls for Zuma to intervene have fallen on deaf ears as the president has washed his hands of the matter.
The Hawks did not want to comment yesterday.
But jurists, lawyers, opposition parties and academics added their voices, urging Zuma to prevent the Hawks from locking up Gordhan.
Speaking at the funeral of former minister and diplomat Makhenkesi Stofile in the Eastern Cape yesterday, Ramaphosa said he was behind the minister of finance.
He said Gordhan’s integrity was unquestionable.
“The minister of finance is today facing what could be an arrest,” said Ramaphosa.
“It should concern us. When the government works well it should not be a government that wages a war against itself,” warned Ramaphosa.
“I am here to pledge my total support to the minister of finance,” he said.
Gordhan was part of a team of ministers that was attending Stofile’s funeral in the Eastern Cape.
Ramaphosa’s open support for Gordhan could pit him against his boss.
But ANC Youth League spokesman Mlondi Mkhize said if Gordhan was not guilty of any offence he should co-operate with the Hawks.
The deputy president’s stance showed that Gordhan was still getting support at the top.
Ramaphosa has been working closely with the finance minister in unlocking growth in the faltering economy.
Mkhize said this matter should be brought to an end speedily to prevent that economic instability.
“We want a stable economy that will reduce the unemployment rate, that is about 25%,” he said.
But Ramaphosa said further he was standing with Gordhan. He warned that it was not acceptable that the government should have an internal battle.
Support for Gordhan has continued to grow in the ANC and outside it.
Former finance minister Trevor Manuel has been supportive of Gordhan from day one.