Thhis week promises to be another troubling one for Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan with a possible arrest and cabinet reshuffle looming.
City Press reported yesterday that the National Prosecuting Authority was planning to charge Gordhan, and three other Sars officials, with fraud, corruption and illegal spying this week.
The four had been summoned to the Hawks’ Pretoria offices on Thursday for “warning statements” but Gordhan refused, saying his lawyers had advised him he didn’t have to go.
Although the NPA’s Luvuyo Mfaku denied a decision to charge Gordhan and the others had been taken, City Press learnt from four senior sources within the NPA, the Hawks and Sars, they would “definitely” be criminally charged.
Meanwhile, talks of a possible cabinet reshuffle to remove Gordhan surfaced.
The man tipped to replace him has been identified by the Sunday Independent as Sifiso Buthelezi, a man said to be close to President Jacob Zuma.
Buthelezi, a former political prisoner at Robben Island, was Zuma’s economic adviser in 1994 and 1995 when Zuma served as MEC for Economic Development in KZN.
The 55-year-old has several businesses including a stake in radio stations Heart FM in Cape Town and Gagasi FM in Durban.
Meanwhile, just days after Gordhan told his staff at the Treasury that the Guptas were behind his troubles with the Hawks; the controversial family on Saturday announced they would be selling of all their business interests in South Africa.
They said they were in discussion with prospective buyers and would make announcements soon.