Gordhan must 'stop deflections' – EFF

22nd November 2018 By: News24Wire

Gordhan must 'stop deflections' – EFF

The Economic Freedom Fighters' (EFF's) battle with Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan continued on Wednesday with the party claiming Gordhan distorted its allegations against him and his daughter.

"He seeks to distort what we said about him, his daughter, and a Canadian Bank Account.

"Gordhan says his daughter has no account in Canada; however, we never said his daughter has an account in Canada. Instead, we said he must answer questions as to whether he has an account in Canada, if he visited Canada on state or personal business, and what the nature of this business was. We also asked if he has any relatives in Canada. These are the questions he must respond to and do so honestly instead of creating unnecessary diversions," EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said in a statement.

"Gordhan also creates an impression that we spoke about Investec, in relation to his daughter's directorship in companies that were getting tenders from the state and its entities.

"The essential point is simple, Gordhan's daughter, Anusha Gordhan, served as director in companies that were awarded tenders to the value of well over R100-million, and because these companies do not disclose their shareholders certificate, we won't know the real shareholders unless they come out openly and disclose everything, including Investec."

Ndlozi said the EFF made these claims supported by evidence coming from government departments through the parliamentary questioning processes.

'Deflecting attention'

"Many people accused the EFF of trying to tarnish Gordhan's name without any evidence. Yet, as soon as our claims were confirmed to be true, Gordhan started deflecting attention from his daughter holding directorships to conversations surrounding Investec.

"The fact is, she was director of these companies: DCD Group; Afrit; Elgin, Brown and Hamer, Hulisani Consortium; Elgin Dock; Diesel and Turbo Service Centre; Vox Telecommunications; Afrit Propco, Vox Holdings; Interpair Services, Simiglo, Cancerian Investments, Phuma Finance.

"Some had lucrative tenders with government," Ndlozi said.

"We are not in a position to judge whether there was undue influence or not, but based on an established practice and how we, including the media, have handled the Guptas, the information available is sufficient to warrant both outrage and close attention to networks of business benefiting from state contracts because of their proximity to power.

"Especially now, with the introduction of Investec, given the history of the role of banks in failing to deal with corruption, sometimes being complacent and other times being involved directly.

"We ask that he answers all other questions sent to him; and he must do so honestly as it is his responsibility as a member of Cabinet.

"We are not asking these questions loosely, but as members of Parliament who are supposed to play an oversight role on the executive," Ndlozi said.

'Play the ball, not the man'

The EFF appealed to media houses to be "consistent and fair in their reporting".

"The same yardstick used on persons like [Jacob] Zuma, [Cyril] Ramaphosa, and [Nhlanhla] Nene must be used on Gordhan when his children are getting lucrative tenders from the state and its entities," the statement concludes.

Gordhan has come out strongly in defence of his daughter, saying she does not do business with the State.

"My daughter has not done any business with the state," Gordhan testified before the judicial commission of inquiry into the allegations of State capture on Wednesday.

"Play the ball not the man, come to me if there are political objectives, don't choose vulnerable targets," he said.