Tom Moyane loses bid to cross-examine Pravin Gordhan at state capture inquiry
It was found that the former Sars head's affidavit did not adequately respond to the relevant parts of Gordhan's testimony
16 April 2019 - 12:33
byAmil Umraw
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Advocate Dali Mpofu talks to former Sars commissioner Tom Moyane at the state capture inquiry in Parktown, Johannesburg.Picture: ALAISTER RUSSELL
Deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo has denied former SA Revenue Service (Sars) boss Tom Moyane leave to cross-examine public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan at the commission of inquiry into state capture.
Zondo, who chairs the inquiry, said on Tuesday that the test for cross-examination is whether it is necessary and relevant to the commission's work. In delivering his judgment, Zondo spent most of the morning highlighting the commission's rules.
“The first requirement [for cross-examination] ... is that the statement or evidence of the witness whom he or she wishes to cross-examine implicates him or her. If he or she fails to show this, his or her application is defective,” Zondo said.
“In applying the rules as discussed above ... The first issue of [Moyane's] application is whether, as required by rule 3.3, [Moyane] has shown that he is implicated in [Gordhan’s] statement or evidence … [Moyane] has not shown that he is implicated in [Gordhan’s] statement or evidence.”
It was also found that Moyane's affidavit did not adequately respond to the relevant parts of Gordhan's testimony.
“[The rule] requires a statement responding to the witness statement in so far as it implicates him or her … [Moyane's] statement does not at all respond to certain important parts of [Gordhan's] statement which implicate him, or does not respond adequately to some parts of [Gordhan's] statement or evidence.”
He said Moyane did not clearly identify which parts of Gordhan's statement he disputed or denied.
“Neither in his founding affidavit or in his supplementary affidavit did [Moyane] deal with the issue on why granting him leave to appeal is necessary and in the best interests of the work of the commission,” Zondo added.
In March, Moyane's lawyer, Dali Mpofu, in arguing for leave to cross-examine Gordhan, alleged that the minister was racist towards Moyane and referred to a phone call in which Gordhan allegedly told Moyane to “grow up”.
Mpofu argued that this amounts to racism, because it implies that Moyane is a “boy”. He claimed Gordhan's affidavit was “more significant for what it omits than what it says”.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Tom Moyane loses bid to cross-examine Pravin Gordhan at state capture inquiry
It was found that the former Sars head's affidavit did not adequately respond to the relevant parts of Gordhan's testimony
Deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo has denied former SA Revenue Service (Sars) boss Tom Moyane leave to cross-examine public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan at the commission of inquiry into state capture.
Zondo, who chairs the inquiry, said on Tuesday that the test for cross-examination is whether it is necessary and relevant to the commission's work. In delivering his judgment, Zondo spent most of the morning highlighting the commission's rules.
“The first requirement [for cross-examination] ... is that the statement or evidence of the witness whom he or she wishes to cross-examine implicates him or her. If he or she fails to show this, his or her application is defective,” Zondo said.
“In applying the rules as discussed above ... The first issue of [Moyane's] application is whether, as required by rule 3.3, [Moyane] has shown that he is implicated in [Gordhan’s] statement or evidence … [Moyane] has not shown that he is implicated in [Gordhan’s] statement or evidence.”
It was also found that Moyane's affidavit did not adequately respond to the relevant parts of Gordhan's testimony.
“[The rule] requires a statement responding to the witness statement in so far as it implicates him or her … [Moyane's] statement does not at all respond to certain important parts of [Gordhan's] statement which implicate him, or does not respond adequately to some parts of [Gordhan's] statement or evidence.”
He said Moyane did not clearly identify which parts of Gordhan's statement he disputed or denied.
“Neither in his founding affidavit or in his supplementary affidavit did [Moyane] deal with the issue on why granting him leave to appeal is necessary and in the best interests of the work of the commission,” Zondo added.
In March, Moyane's lawyer, Dali Mpofu, in arguing for leave to cross-examine Gordhan, alleged that the minister was racist towards Moyane and referred to a phone call in which Gordhan allegedly told Moyane to “grow up”.
Mpofu argued that this amounts to racism, because it implies that Moyane is a “boy”. He claimed Gordhan's affidavit was “more significant for what it omits than what it says”.
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