Did Moyane walk into Gordhan’s trap by winning his application on Monday? The Minister announced that he will submit a motion to cross-examine the axed Sars commissioner at the State Capture Inquiry.
Public Enterprises Minister, Pravin Gordhan, has confirmed that he intends to launch a countermotion to probe axed Sars Commissioner, Tom Moyane.
This was a momentous decision that went against everything Gordhan had warned when the application was brought to the commission earlier in the year.
The minister had warned that this move, by Moyane, was calculated and aimed at tarnishing his political rep sheet. He exclaimed that there was no merit, whatsoever, for Zondo to grant Moyane leave to cross-examine him since, most of the things he would be questioned on, by Adv. Mpofu, fell outside of the commission’s terms of reference.
While Zondo agreed, he also noted that there were utterances that Gordhan had made in his testimony that placed Moyane in light of accusations related to the state capture project.
He continued stating that the mere fact that Gordhan accused the axed Sars Commissioner of laying a criminal complaint against him as a means of furthering this ‘project’ gave grounds for Moyane to present his version of the story.
And, that is where the condition comes in. The chairperson stated that Moyane has until 15 January 2020 to submit a formal response to Gordhan’s clarificatory statement regarding his accusations against the axed Commissioner. Also, Moyane’s defence can only cross-examine Gordhan on a list of questions drafted by the commission.
Minister moves to file motion to cross-examine axed Commissioner
In response to this ruling, the Ministry of Public Enterprises issued a statement, welcoming the chairperson’s decision because it presented Gordhan an opportunity to finally question Moyane on “the massive failure of integrity and governance at SARS”.
Statement:
Decision of State Capture Commission: Application to Cross-Examine Minister Pravin Gordhan pic.twitter.com/JS8pyTrZRb
— DPE_ZA (@DPE_ZA) November 25, 2019
“Minister Gordhan’s counsel will similarly apply to the chairperson of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture to cross-examine Moyane,” the statement concluded.
The application, it’s believed, will be heard at the Zondo commission, on Tuesday.