Gordhan the real target of 'judicial inquiry into banks' - MP

Cape Town - Information a public relations firm leaked to Fin24 containing details about a judicial inquiry into South Africa’s banks was in all likelihood meant to intimidate Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, Democratic Alliance MP David Maynier said on Thursday. 

Bell Pottinger, the Gupta family’s UK-based public relations firm, knew about the recommendations for a judicial enquiry into the four banks at least seven weeks before they were published by Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane. 

Bell Pottinger sent Fin24 a picture of a page from the confidential document, containing the inter-ministerial committee’s recommendations to Cabinet on July 15, claiming that it was a “scoop”. 

However, the picture of the document leaked on July 15 and the one eventually issued by Zwane on September 2 had one glaring difference: Zwane’s statement didn’t contain a bullet point recommending that allegations against 'members of Cabinet' and their abuse of powers and authority be investigated. 

READ: EXCLUSIVE: Gupta PR firm knew about bank probe weeks before Zwane dropped bomb 

The leaked document in Fin24’s possession said: “Enough information was supplied to the IMC (the inter-ministerial committee which was responsible for the inquiry into why the banks broke off their relations with Oakbay) to consider the allegations against certain members of Cabinet and their abuse of powers and authority …” 

Maynier said the so-called members of Cabinet are most definitely a reference to Gordhan. “There’s clearly an agenda to get to the finance minister, and it’s part of the intimidation tactics.”

Approached for comment, National Treasury spokesperson Yolisa Tyansi was not prepared to comment on the matter. “We are really not in a position to comment on people’s sentiments and statements,” she said. 

At the time of publishing this article, Oakbay could not be reached for comment, while Zwane’s spokesperson Martin Madlala said he would comment at a later stage when he has more information. 

Meanwhile, in August this year – six weeks after Fin24 received the leaked information – Gordhan was ordered to report to the Hawks over allegations relating to a so-called rogue tax unit during his tenure as commissioner of the South African Revenue Service. 

The news caused a public uproar, also among ANC struggle veterans and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa who had made remarks about a “government that was at war with itself”. 

President Jacob Zuma later denied that the presidency and National Treasury were at war with each other, as well as any knowledge of a so-called war within his government. 

READ: A govt at war with itself - what war, asks Zuma

“There is no war between the presidency and Treasury. Huh-uh. I’m clarifying that point. Whatever perceptions people may have – and perceptions are perceptions – if people are making wrong statements, we will deal with that,” Zuma said during a question and answer session in the National Assembly. 

The information that was leaked to Fin24 raises new questions about Zwane’s closeness to the Gupta family and their businesses. Apart from travelling to Switzerland shortly after his appointment to meet Glencore CEO Ivan Glasenberg, who sold the Optimum coal mine to the Guptas, he was also embroiled in another controversy while agriculture MEC in the Free State. 

At the time, Zwane had reportedly introduced a R570m dairy project in which a Gupta-linked company was involved and set to benefit, City Press reported.