Hawks not investigating Jonas for corruption…yet: report
The SAPS’ priority crime unit, the Hawks, says it is not currently investigating deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas in a case of alleged corruption, it is just making preliminary enquiries into the matter.
This City Press reported this weekend, that several sources independently confirmed that the deputy finance minister was currently under investigation by the Hawks, over possible corruption involving a supplier to SAA’s aviation maintenance division, SAA Technical (Saat).
The Hawks are reportedly investigating Jonas for allegedly introducing a US aircraft maintenance and engineering company to one of Saat’s board members, requesting that he “look after them”.
However the police unit denies that there is a full-on investigation taking place, saying that, for now, it is still at an enquiry level.
“Once we pick up anything then a case docket will then be opened. There is not even a case docket,” Hawks spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi told Reuters.
“We don’t want to even suggest that the minister is being investigated or anything. We are not party to that,” he said.
The Hawks previously investigated finance minister Pravin Gordhan over the so-called “rogue unit” within SARS, and along with the NPA tried to get fraud charges to stick. However that case fell apart, while other charges are still sitting with the NPA, pending.
The Hawks also previously denied investigating Gordhan, which ended up being a lie.
A minister or deputy that has criminal charges against them cannot hold office, and it is speculated that these investigation are an attempt to get Gordhan and Jonas out of National Treasury ‘legitimately’.
Beyond that, Jonas was the person who blew the state capture matter wide open by openly declaring that the Gupta family had offered him R600 million and the position of finance minister, to help bring billions of rands of new business to their doors.
Any charges of corruption against Jonas would add weight to any move to discredit him.
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