Rand slips on Mantashe's apparent swipe at Gordhan
Cape Town - The rand took a whack on Tuesday following ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe's comments that officials who are charged should step down from their roles.
He also stated at an ANC press briefing on the public spats between Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and the Hawks; Eskom and Treasury; and allegations of corruption involving the ANC and Prasa, that ministers should cooperate with police and answer questions by the police unit the Hawks if summoned.
He was clearly referring to Gordhan's refusal last week to report to the Hawks' office in Pretoria to sign a warning statement for his involvement in the so-called rogue unit established when he was commissioner at the SA Revenue Service. Gordhan has repeatedly stated that he had done nothing wrong. It is believed that signing a warning statement is a precursor for arrest.
Mantashe climbed into both Gordhan and local government minister Des van Rooyen for taking the fight to the media, where opposition parties and economists have already accused President Jacob Zuma of trying to gain greater control of the National Treasury. Zuma has denied the allegation.
"The ANC reaffirms its unreserved confidence in the Minister of Finance, Comrade Pravin Gordhan and the work of the National Treasury. We do, however, caution them against taking a public posture that seems to isolate them from the rest of government and position them as victims to be protected by society," he said.