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Johannesburg – The ANC Youth League has been critical of all who’ve publicly pledged support for Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan ahead of his court appearance on November 2, saying that he should go through the normal court processes like everyone else.
"Society wants us to believe there are some who must not be prosecuted and prove themselves innocent and that some should be prosecuted," ANCYL secretary general Njabulo Nzuza said.
He said Gordhan should be allowed the space to undergo the legal process without people taking sides, he also hit out at the deputy president of both the country and the ANC, Cyril Ramaphosa, for publicly supporting Gordhan.
"The deputy president is succumbing to pressure that is portraying [Pravin] Gordhan as someone who must not be charged."
Nzuza criticised Ramaphosa for taking sides, arguing that a leader in government should not do this.
"There are many others in government who have been taken to court on a number of occasions, but the DP [Ramaphosa] has never released a statement to say he supports their institutions. Minister of police was taken to court, he never received support from him," Nzuza told News24 on Tuesday.
Gordhan is facing a charge of fraud along with two former South African Revenue Service officials, Oupa Magashula and Ivan Pillay, in connection with an early retirement package signed off by Gordhan for Pillay in 2010.
Stop drawing conspiracies
Nzuza said he was worried about the double standards shown by many, including some in the ANC.
"Now the integrity committee and other people zoomed in, including the organisation, into Marius Fransman, they ended up having him set aside because he was charged with a case. Pravin [Gordhan] is charged and no one is saying he must step aside," said Nzuza.
Several leaders in both business and the ANC – including Jackson Mthembu, Max Sisulu, Zweli Mkhize and Matthews Phosa – have come out in support of the finance minister.
Fransman was found guilty of bringing the party into disrepute in July following claims of sexual assault by Louisa Wynand.
Nzuza also rubbished concerns raised by many that Gordhan’s legal woes were politically motivated.
"People must stop drawing conspiracies when there are none, where is the evidence? [If] it’s politically motivated, provide proof," he said.
Nzuza said Gordhan was not pursuing a position in the party’s elective conference taking place in 2017, yet people seemed to be creating a perception that he is being targeted because of the battle to lead the party.
