South Africa's finance minister could soon be arrested

Cape Town – Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan could soon be arrested after the Hawks reportedly handed a docket over to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for his involvement in the SA Revenue Service's "rogue unit".

The Sunday Times reported that the top police investigating unit wanted Gordhan and eight others to be prosecuted for espionage for the unit allegedly spying on taxpayers during his time as Sars commissioner.

Sources at both the Hawks and NPA claim authorities are waiting for "political go-ahead" before going through with the arrest. However, the NPA officially denied the claims.   

In April, Gordhan said Sars had a legal mandate to perform enforcement and criminal investigations, Fin24 reported.

The finance minister said according to information provided to him by Sars there are 1 599 enforcement auditors who conduct enforcement investigations, and 381 criminal investigators.

Gordhan told the Hawks in March that the unit was an essential part of Sars' enforcement strategy "as it is with most tax and customs administrations globally".

The Hawks and Gordhan have been engaged in a very public war of words that saw his office, just days before his budget speech, receive a list of questions from the investigative body over the Sars unit.

Gordhan is also said to be at odds with current Sars commissioner Tom Moyane.

In March, News24 columnist Max du Preez revealed that a "dossier" at Sars headquarters contained "dynamite allegations of corruption, fraud, front companies and foreign bank accounts against prominent benefactors of President Jacob Zuma".

The allegations are the findings of the rogue unit under Gordhan.