Gordhan refuses to drop Gupta application despite threats
Lawyers claim defamatory remarks made
FINANCE Minister Pravin Gordhan has stuck to his guns on his court application against the controversial Gupta family.
He has refused to withdraw his application despite threats by the Guptas’ lawyers to do so or face them in court.
The Guptas’ lawyers said they had written to Gordhan to withdraw his application; he is seeking a declaratory order that he is not allowed to intervene in their disputes with the major South African banks.
But the bone of contention is the details of transactions amounting to R6.8 billion in the Guptas accounts that the banks and the minister deem suspicious.
These are attached to Gordhan’s affidavit, and have lifted the lid off some of the reasons the four biggest banks closed the Guptas’ accounts.
The revelations by the minister have placed tremendous pressure on the Guptas and their allies, with more information of their alleged influence over top politicians expected in the state capture report by the Public Protector.
The chief executive of their Oakbay business empire, Nazeem Howa, resigned on Monday, the day after it was revealed he has been pressuring Gordhan to intervene in Oakbay’s fight with the banks.
The Guptas’ lawyers, Van der Merwe Associates (VDMA), confirmed yesterday Gordhan’s lawyers had turned down their demand to withdraw the application.
They said in his affidavit, had made “defamatory and untrue remarks towards members of the Gupta family by insinuating they have been involved in inappropriate conduct”.
“VDMA reiterated that the purpose of its letter was to offer the minister of finance the opportunity to save taxpayers’ money.
“VDMA also noted that its clients would like to put their formal version before court since the minister of finance has chosen that forum, so if the application is not withdrawn, then the matter must proceed… in order to restore the misrepresentation created by the papers.”
Gordhan is also expected in court on November 2 to answer to fraud charges laid against him by the National Prosecuting Authority, against which he has refused to make representations.