We are not investigating cabinet ministers: Hawks
The Hawks have rejected a Sunday Times report claiming that it is investigating three cabinet ministers and the Gupta family on corruption-related charges.
The paper reported that former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor filed charges against Minister of Public Enterprises Lynne Brown, Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies and Minister of Defence Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
Mentor, the Sunday Times said, also lodged corruption-related charges against state- owned weapons manufacturer Denel and the Industrial Development Corporation.
It said that Hawks spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi confirmed that the unit was investigating Mentor’s allegations.
Mentor had earlier alleged that the Gupta family offered her a ministerial post during a meeting at their Saxonwold home.
The Gupta family have come under fire for alledgedly trying to capture the state through their relationship with the president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, via his son Duduzane.
The police however distanced itself from the Sunday Times report.
The National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation Lieutenant General Mthandazo Ntlemeza “wishes to categorically distance the DPCI from these baseless, malicious reports which are designed and clearly aimed at casting denunciations on the three ministers,” a statement read.
The DPCI said it did receive an affidavit from Mentor which was handed over to the Hawks by the Western Cape Provincial Commissioner’s office for further processing. However, there is no mention of the three ministers.
“The DPCI was surprised to see an about turn by the Sunday Times enquiry on a non-existent case docket. The reporter was informed that no case docket was envisaged opened pending the finalization of the enquiry.
“The content thereof which cannot be revealed, since it is now subject to an enquiry, is being probed by the DPCI Anti-Corruption Unit. In the said statement though, there is no mention of the three ministers. There is no case docket opened as the investigations into the inquiry are still ongoing. It is therefore malicious to suggest that the Hawks are influencing a decision to investigate the three ministers,” the statement said.
“In terms of good management, all investigations in the DPCI remain confidential,” the department said.
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