This emerged as Hawks and NPA heads Berning Ntlemeza and Shaun Abrahams faced tough questions in parliament yesterday over the decision to charge Gordhan and two former SA Revenue Service executives for fraud.
Gordhan has been summonsed to appear in court on November 2 along with Ivan Pillay and Oupa Magashula for fraud in connection with more than R1.1-million paid to Pillay in 2010 as part of an early retirement package.
The minister has questioned the timing of the charges and the process used by the NPA.
He said in a statement from his lawyers that he had expected Abrahams would interact with him and afford him an opportunity to make written submissions before making a decision.
“It is surprising that we have only received a letter dated October 4 2016, but only sent to our office this [Tuesday] morning, advising that minister Gordhan is an accused person,” Gordhan’s lawyers said.
Yesterday, Ntlemeza and Abrahams were meant to present their department’s financial reports to parliamentary committees on police and justice, but the decision to charge and summons Gordhan dominated discussions.
