George Bizos voices concern as SARS officials present themselves to Hawks

He was speaking outside the offices of the Hawks in Pretoria on Thursday morning, where two former senior SARS officials, Ivan Pillay and Johan van Loggerenberg, presented themselves.  

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan was also asked by the Hawks to present himself today in connection with the investigation into an alleged so-called SARS rogue unit. 

He released a statement on Wednesday, saying he had taken legal counsel and has been advised that he is under no legal obligation to comply with the Hawks' request.

Bizos joined civil society organisations who marched on the Hawks' offices.

"We are concern that the events of the past are being repeated. We stand by the Minister of Finance. We hope that the people of South Africa will stand by him and that this prosecution is nipped in the bud," he said.

Retired Constitutional Court Judge Johann Kriegler and the Director of the Helen Suzman Foundation, Francis Antonie, also joined the protest.

"I think they are entitled, as human beings, to the moral support of decent South Africans who stand up and say 'enough of this, we are on your side, we are on the side of the just and the good'," Kriegler said.