Ruling party says ministers must obey police summons

August 30, 2016 12:16 PM

Gordhan said on Wednesday he had done nothing wrong and had no legal obligation to obey a police summons

African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Gwede Mantashe gestures during a media briefing in Johannesburg, after South African President Jacob Zuma addressed the nation in response to this week's Constitutional Court judgment on security upgrades to his private Nkandla residence, April 1, 2016.

South Africa's ruling party said on Tuesday that ministers who are summoned by police to answer questions should do so, days after Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan declined to obey a police summons.

Gordhan said on Wednesday he had done nothing wrong and had no legal obligation to obey a police summons over the probe into whether he used a surveillance unit set up at the tax service when he was in charge to spy on politicians.

"The minister must cooperate with processes, if he has no case to answer he can only prove that through processes," said the African National Congress Secretary General Gwede Mantashe, comments that weakened the rand and bonds.