A supposedly key witness quoted in Public Protector Busiswe Mkhwebane’s report on Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan was never a member of the South African Revenue Services (Sars) ‘rogue unit,’ the Sunday Times reports.
Keletso Bizoski Manyike reportedly worked as a law interpreter in the legal administration and policy division at Sars and later in debt collection.
Mkhwebane’s report, which claims Gordhan was the mastermind behind the Sars ‘rogue unit,’ lists Manyike as a former Sars ‘specialist agent.’
The Sunday Times further reported that Mkhwebane never contacted Manyike to interview him.
Mkhwebane has found that Gordhan was guilty of maladministration and violating the prescripts of the Constitution in approving the establishment of an intelligence unit at the Sars in 2007.
Gordhan was SARS Commissioner between 2001 and 2009.
The Public Protector has recommended that action be taken by President Cyril Ramaphosa, Speaker of the National Assembly Thandi Modise, State Security minister Ayanda Dlodlo, National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi and police commissioner Kehla Sithole.
Gordhan has filed court papers in an urgent bid to interdict Mkhwebane’s remedial actions.
Mkhwebane has meanwhile taken to Twitter to dismiss the Sunday Times report, describing as “propaganda” which seeks to discredit her report.
The Public Protector also disputed assertions that her office never met with Manyike.
