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Post by neels on Oct 27, 2016 15:10:15 GMT
A dramatic turn of events has yielded fresh evidence that the prosecution of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is a political hit and that NPA head Shaun Abrahams has overplayed his hand. Not only did SARS Commissioner Tom Moyane’s own legal counsel refuse to get involved in the prosecution for “ethical reasons” but it is clear now that the HAWKS and the NPA sought, after the fact, to find evidence to prop up the charges. Also, a senior deputy director of law administration at SARS was threatened and held hostage in the boardroom at the revenue service’s headquarters by Crimes Against the State commander, Brigadier Nyameka Xaba, after refusing to sign an affidavit. By MARIANNE THAMM www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-10-27-game-over-for-abrahams-moyane-and-co-documents-prove-gordhan-prosecution-political/#.WBIYKIVOKUn |
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Post by Trog on Oct 28, 2016 5:46:15 GMT
Yes, I think the most significant aspect of this little interlude is that it demonstrates that Gordhan et al seeked and acted on the advice of of their legal advisor - therefore any accusation of fraud is moot.
Anyway, I'm a little bemused by the current Gordhan adulation - he is a 'struggle veteran' (i.e. a criminal) and he remains a communist. But if he can be instrumental in returning South Africa to some sort of sanity and purge its politics of ANC thugs, then perhaps we shouldn't be too harsh on him.
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Post by cjm on Oct 28, 2016 7:42:25 GMT
If Gordhan were an ANC favourite this commotion would never have reached the courts. So, he is unprotected.
The basic issue (as I understand it) is that Pillay needed money for his kids' education. It blows the mind that he could not afford it, considering his position and likely salary. If he could not afford it, who can? The plan which was hatched to help him, consisted of allowing him to retire early and splurge on his retirement benefits. If the plan stopped there, fine. But it did not. He was reappointed. Now things are getting dicey. Again it did not stop there. The institution underwriting the benefits required in the case of early retirement that the premiums be paid up to the date when the retirement would normally have occurred. In this case, the state coughed up in excess of R1 million. So basically Pillay ended up with his normal salary plus his full retirement benefits (years in advance) and the state is minus R1 million. Any other person would have had to get a loan and repay that with interest. But not mr Pillay.
Gordhan approved this. It now seems that legal advice was sought. How anybody can justify this set-up on a legal basis leaves me speechless. It makes Gordhan's crusade against tax planning rather ring hollow.
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