The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, South African Communist Party (SACP) and other civil society organisations have strongly defended embattled Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan.
Under the banner of “Hands off our Democracy,” the civil society groups held a press conference on Thursday afternoon to lambast the state capture “fightback project.”
They said recent events point to a regrouping of alleged state capture perpetrators to subvert accountability and transparency.
Solly Mapaila, SACP’s Deputy General Secretary, said the African National Congress’ (ANC) resolutions against corruption must be upheld.
If we allow someone like PG [Pravin Gordhan] to fall, all of us will fall one by one and corruption will never be defeated.
Comrade PG, as he’s leading this campaign to clean state-owned enterprises and rid them of corruption, we support him and we are behind him.
Solly Mapaila
Ruling on SARS “Rogue Unit”
Mapaila also cited Wednesday’s court ruling by the South Gauteng High Court in the matter between businessman Martin Wingate-Pearse and South African Revenue Service (SARS).
Wingate-Pearse had sought an order declaring the so-called “Rogue Unit” unlawful. However, the court agreed with the findings of the Nugent Commission on SARS that the investigative unit was lawfully established.
Mapaila said this is proof that the campaign against Gordhan is baseless and that some politicians are using the Public Protector as a “hired gun” as part of the “fightback project.”
Public rally on 21 July
SACP and Kathrada Foundation also announced that they would hold a public rally on 21 July at the Johannesburg City Hall to begin mobilising society against the fightback project.
Among the organisations that participated in the press conference included Corruption Watch, Freedom Under Law, Council for the Advancement of South Africa’s Constitution, and Business Leadership South Africa.