Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan will not make representations to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for a review of the fraud charges he is set to face in November, his attorney Tebogo Malatji confirmed on Tuesday.
Last week the NPA announced that it had issued a summons to Gordhan to appear in court on two charges of fraud related to his authorisation of early retirement for former SA Revenue Services deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay.
The NPA wrote to Gordhan’s legal team on Monday to make representations by no later than 5pm on Tuesday (October 18).
In his response to the NPA, Malatji said Gordhan did not intend to do so. He referred to a letter from Freedom Under Law and the Helen Suzman Foundation to the NPA on the matter. Malatji said: "We invite you to withdraw the charges against our client in the light of the grounds set out therein."
The two organisations in a letter on Friday demanded the withdrawal of the charges and set out reasons for such. They warned that if the NPA failed to do so, they would take legal action.
The organisations are demanding that the charges be withdrawn by October 21 at 4pm.
According to Freedom Under Law’s letter to the NPA, the organisation is demanding that the NPA provide it certain information including a record of the decision to issue a summons and full written reasons supporting the decision.
Should the NPA fail to do so by October 21, the organisation will explore its legal options on an urgent basis.
On Monday, the first two accused in the same matter, Pillay and former SARS commissioner Oupa Magashula, made representations to the NPA. Gordhan is the third accused in the matter.
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