Opposition parties slam Hawks, Sars

Force used to obtain e-mail mistakenly sent to deputy director

OPPOSITION parties have condemned the use of force by the Hawks and Sars officials to get their hands on a document which may have led to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) charging Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan with fraud.

The DA and ACDP said yesterday it was unacceptable a lawyer for Sars was allegedly held hostage by the Hawks as well as Sars boss Tom Moyane’s bodyguard.

They wanted an e-mail that was mistakenly sent to the deputy director for law administration at Sars, Vlok Symington, on the decision to charge Gordhan.

DA MP David Maynier said he would submit questions to Parliament on the matter. Maynier had raised the question with Gordhan during a meeting with the joint committees on Parliament yesterday.

The joint committees had met to discuss the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement. Gordhan said he would discuss the matter with Moyane.

Maynier said it was shocking that after nine days after the incident, Gordhan had not received a report from Moyane.

ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe said this was against the law. “Physical threats and hostage taking by law enforcement goes against the rule of law and everything our constitution stands for.”

He promised to take up the matter with Police Minister Nathi Nhleko and lodge a complaint with the Independent Police Investigative Director (Ipid).

Ipid spokesman Moses Dlamini said Symington had already lodged a complaint against the Hawks and had opened a criminal case against the Hawks and Moyane’s bodyguard. Gordhan is expected to appear in the Pretoria Regional Court on Wednesday on charges of fraud. This related to his decision to grant former Sars deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay early retirement in 2010.

Former Sars boss Oupa Magashula has also been charged with Gordhan and Pillay.

Gordhan has received huge public support since the NPA took a decision to charge him.

The Helen Suzman Foundation and Freedom Under Law have gone to court to ask for a permanent stay of prosecution against Gordhan, arguing the charges were baseless.

NPA head Shaun Abrahams has denied the charges were politically motivated.

Gordhan’s lawyer, Tebogo Malatji, said Abrahams repeatedly refused to review the charges against the minister.