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Gordhan given deadline in spy unit case - report

Johannesburg - Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has been given until Monday to answer questions posed by SA's Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation on his role in setting up a spy unit at the SA Revenue Service (Sars), IOL reported on Sunday.

A spokesperson for the Hawks confirmed that a letter had been sent to the minister's lawyers, but declined to disclose its contents.

Earlier in March Gordhan informed the Hawks that he needed more time before responding to their questions regarding the alleged “rogue unit”.

National Treasury sent media a legal letter that Gordhan’s lawyers, Gildenhuys Malatji, sent to the office of the national head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, informing them of his intention to miss an earlier deadline.

Gordhan wanted to know, among other things, on what authority the Hawks have to ask him certain questions.

In the letter, Malatji pointed out that at the time the Hawks addressed its first letter to Gordhan (February 19) he was busy preparing the National Budget speech.

When Ntlemeza telephoned to speak to Gordhan at the time, he (Ntlemeza) was - according to Malatji - informed to contact Gordhan after the budget speech.

The Hawks also said earlier they never meant to investigate Gordhan and that he was merely the "suitable man to talk to". He was merely a commissioner at Sars at the time when a covert unit was allegedly established.

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