Why Pravin Gordhan believes Tom Moyane and the EFF are working together

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan believes that there's an unholy alliance forming between the ex-SARS Commissioner Tom Moyane and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). The allegation comes after Gordhan opposed Moyane's application to cross-examine him at the state capture inquiry.

The former tax chief has been implicated by a slew of allegations about his time at the top, during the Jacob Zuma administration. Cyril Ramaphosa suspended him from the post 12 months ago, before Moyane lost several court battles to get himself reinstated.

Tom Moyane vs Pravin Gordhan It's understood that the relationship between Tom Moyane and Pravin Gordhan is already quite frosty, with the pair locking horns as state capture finally squirmed its way into the public eye. However, the minister believes that the disgraced SARS officer is only interested in feeding a false narrative.

Gordhan said that his application was a poorly disguised effort to use the commission to advance an EFF campaign against him. The red berets have been particularly vocal about their disdain for Pravin, in a war of words that took a sinister turn towards the end of 2018.

The red berets spent almost the entirety of Gordhan's appearance at the state capture inquiry protesting again him and demanded he stepped down from his role in cabinet. The party's top brass - including Floyd Shivambu and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi - launched a precise campaign against the ANC stalwart.

EFF campaign against the minister Predictably, it was Julius Malema who took things a step too far. He claimed that Pravin Gordhan hated black people , and released a torrent of abuse towards his political nemesis. Both ended up opening hate speech cases against each either, as Juju launched a tit-for-tat legal battle.

This all stems from the EFF's belief that Pravin Gordhan is the leader of a secret cabal that runs South Africa. It's a dangerously unfounded claim, but one that the party are using to discredit the politician.

DPE Minister Pravin Gordhan is opposing axed SARS boss Tom Moyane's application to cross examine him at the Zondo Inquiry on basis, among other things, that it is poorly disguised effort to use Commission as political platform to advance EFF campaign against him.

Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) March 11, 2019 Tom Moyane and the EFF: A match made in court Meanwhile, Tom Moyane was recently represented by Dali Mpofu in his bid to win back his seat at SARS. Mpofu is a leading advocate and an executive member of the EFF. It is believed this connection shows just how willing Moyane is to switch to the red side, in order to fight his war with Gordhan.

However, it seems there's a middle-man in this connection: Adriano Mazzotti. The cigarette smuggler is said to be one of the EFF's biggest financial backers, and a close ally of Mr Moyane, too. Investigative journalist Jacques Pauw probed this troubled trinity:

Why is Dali Mpofu committing hara-kiri in defending Tom Moyane? Is it because they have a common friend: tobacco-man Adriano Mazzotti. Under Moyane, Mazzotti's R600m tax bill disappeared. He also paid EFF registration fee in 2014 and gave Malema a loan to help pay his SARS bill.

Jacques Pauw Mazzotti has also run into a patch of financial difficulty in the year since Moyane was told to clear out his desk at SARS. The tax firm turned up to his home last year to seize some of his most valuable assets.

Tags: Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)Pravin GordhansarsSouth AfricaTom Moyane

LINK:	https://www.thesouthafrican.com/pravin-gordhan-tom-moyane-eff-working-...
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