SA won't meet 0.9% growth target, says Gordhan
Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan says South Africa will not meet its 0.9% growth target.
Speaking in Cape Town last night during a political debate with analyst Justice Malala, the Minister mainly focused on the economy and steps needed to ensure that South Africa weathered the storm.
"There's no doubt that we are going to be pretty close to zero. I'm constrained from saying anything further except watch out when we deliver the medium-term budget policy statement where our macro economist will give us a number.
"It certainly won't be the 0.9% that we thought we actually would have this year when we delivered the budget in February 2016 a few months after being called upon to take this job. I don't whether I did the right thing but that's a different matter," he said
He did however, from time to time, jokingly make reference to his current legal situation. Going as far as wondering out loud if it was wise to accept this job for a second time around.
POLL: Will Gordhan's Hawks appearance affect credit ratings?
Along with other former high ranking SA Revenue Service officials, Gordhan has been summoned to the Hawks headquarters where they will be issued with a warning statement.
The minister reread a statement he issued yesterday in which he made clear he would not be at their offices today on legal advice that the alleged charges were baseless.
Read the statement issued by the Minister here.
Gordhan has also made it clear that he will not present himself before the Hawks today.
"I therefore do not intend to present myself for a warning statement for many considerations both legal and given my other commitments. I remain to assist the Hawks in any bona fide investigation as stated in my statement. I have a job to do in a difficult economic environment and serve South Africa as best as I can,"she said.