Hawks deny any probe or charges against Gordhan

The Hawks are not investigating Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan in relation to the SARS High Risk Investigation Unit probe‚ contrary to assertions to this effect. “To put the record straight‚ there are no investigations or impending charges preferred against Minister Pravin Gordhan‚” it said yesterday. “It is not true that the Hawks are gunning for Minister Pravin Gordhan. “It is also not true that any official from the Hawks briefed former police minister Fikile Mbalula of any investigation against Minister Pravin Gordhan or provided him with any information detailing developments and so-called compelling evidence.”

Earlier this month‚ former SARS deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay and two other officials said that the Hawks had served them with a summons relating to a report by auditors KPMG regarding a rogue spy unit. “The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation and the National Prosecuting Authority have formally charged three accused persons – Mr Ivan Pillay‚ Mr Johann van Loggerenberg and Mr Andries Janse van Rensburg – and [they] have been issued with summons to appear in the Pretoria Regional Court on April 9 on charges of corruption and contravention of the Rica Act,” the Hawks said yesterday. Last year‚ KPMG withdrew all of its findings around its report into the SARS so-called “rogue spy unit”. The report was partly instrumental in the downfall of former finance minister Gordhan‚ who was accused of endorsing the “rogue unit”.