Pretoria - Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has offered his moral and political support to Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in light of the legal processes unfolding around him.
Minister Gordhan is currently preparing to deliver the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement on 26 October.
According to a statement issued by the Presidency on Sunday, Deputy President Ramaphosa said the events of the past few days, regarding summonses served on Minister Gordhan, have been of concern to many South Africans across all sectors of society.
“As a member of the National Executive, I lend my support to Minister Gordhan as he faces charges brought against him by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). I have known and worked with Minister Gordhan both in government and during the days of the prosecution of the struggle for a non-racial, non-sexist democratic society.
“I have no doubt about his commitment to building a better South Africa for all. Like all South Africans, Minister Gordhan remains subject to the laws of the country, and retains his right to remain silent, to be free from abuse of process and to legal defence.
“I am fully cognisant of the role that the NPA has to play in building a democratic society. In this regard, we respect the constitutional mandate that the NPA has to discharge without fear, favour or prejudice," said the Deputy President.
He said the NPA’s mandate has to be balanced against the constitutional rights of all individuals, including the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
He said the situation requires all South Africans to demonstrate unity in defence of constitutional values, the integrity of the legal system and the objective of setting South Africa on a path of sustainable and inclusive economic growth that will help the country overcome poverty, unemployment and inequality.
“In this regard and whatever the legal challenges that Minister Gordhan may face, we must not undermine the work that government, jointly with leaders of business and labour, has been doing to stimulate domestic and international investment in our economy, which has yielded impressive outcomes across a range of industrial sectors.
“Accordingly, we must conduct ourselves in ways that will uphold our constitutional values and maintain South Africa’s good reputation internationally,” said the Deputy President.
He said the forthcoming Medium Term Budget Policy Statement is an important opportunity for government to assess economic conditions in the country and to reassure the investor community that South Africa remains a preferred destination for investment.
“I therefore wish Minister Gordhan well as he prepares to deliver the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement and hope that this challenge will not distract him from focusing on this important national task.
"Government is at one in its approach to this matter and calls upon all South Africans to approach these issues rationally and put the interests of the country first,” said Deputy President Ramaphosa. - SAnews.gov.za
