Mkhwebane finds Gordhan did not try to influence Pillay’s appointment to SCA

JOHANNESBURG — Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has found Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan did not try to influence the appointment of Justice Dhaya Pillay to the Supreme Court of Appeals in 2016.

On Wednesday afternoon, Mkhwebane released nine investigative reports on irregular appointments, flawed public procurement processes and financial misconduct, among others.

She concluded that the complaint, filed by Floyd Shivambu of the Economic Freedom Fighters, could not be substantiated.

Gordhan previously wrote to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to deny the claim, which followed after former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng suggested during JSC talks last year that the finance minister at the time had acted inappropriately when asking about Pillay’s performance in SCA interviews. met at the Hotel of the Twelve Apostles in Cape Town.

Mkhwebane said his office has now closed the investigation.