“We stand as one for the rule of law and against the decision to prosecute the Minister of Finance on charges that are, according to the preponderance of expert legal opinion, without factual or legal foundation and not in the public interest,” the CEOs, who form part of the CEO Initiative, said in a press statement.

The initiative was formed after former Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene was fired in December 2015 and has worked with labour and government to find unity with business going forward.

“We stand against the damage this has caused to our economy and to the people of South Africa, especially the poor.”

The 81 CEOs who signed the pledge were:

1. Altron: No name provided
2. Anglo American: Mark Cutifani
3. AngloGold Ashanti Limited: Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan
4. Asisa: Leon Campher
5. Aspasa & Sarma: Nico Pienaar
6. Aveng: Kobus Verster
7. Bain & Company: Vittorio Massone
8. Barclays Africa: Maria Ramos
9. Bid Corporation: Brian Joffe
10. Blue Label Telecoms: Mark Levy
11. Business Unity South Africa: Khanyisile Kweyama
12. Business Leadership South Africa: Thero Setiloane (on behalf of member companies)
13. Black Business Council: Mohale Ralebitso
14. Bowman Gilfillan: Robert Legh (chairperson)
15. Capitec Bank: Gerrie Fourie
16. CEO Initiative: Jabu Mabuza (convenor)
17. Chamber of Mines: Roger Baxter
18. Credit Suisse South Africa: Rick Menell (chairperson)
19. Dimension Data Middle East & Africa: Grant Bodley
20. Discovery Limited: Adrian Gore
21. Distell Limited: Richard Rushton
22. ENSafrica: Michael Katz (chairperson)
23. Exxaro Resources Limited: Mxolisi Mgojo
24. FirstRand Bank: Johan Burger
25. Goldman Sachs: Colin Coleman
26. Growthpoint Properties Ltd: Norbert Sasse
27. Hollard Group: Nic Kohler
28. Imperial Holdings: Mark Lamberti
29. Independent: Michael Spicer
30. Investec Bank Limited & Investec: Stephen Koseff
31. Johannesburg Stock Exchange: Nicky Newton-King
32. Kagiso Tiso Holdings: Vuyisa Nkonyeni
33. KPMG Southern Africa: Trevor Hoole
34. Liberty Holdings Group: Thabo Dloti
35. Life Healthcare: André Meyer
36. Lion Pride Investment Holdings Ltd: Geoff Rothschild
37. Mediclinic SA: Danie Meintjes
38. Menston Holdings (Pty) Ltd: Stanley Subramoney
39. MMI Holdings: Nicolaas Kruger
40. Mondi Group: David Hathorn
41. Mr Price Group Ltd: Stuart Bird
42. MTN SA: Phuthuma Nhleko (chairperson) and Mteto Nyati (CEO)  
43. Murray & Roberts Holdings Limited: Henry Laas
44. Nampak Ltd: André de Ruyter
45. Nando's: Geoff Whyte
46. Naspers: Bob van Dijk
47. Nedbank Group: Vassi Naidoo (chairperson)
48. Nedbank Group: Mike Brown
49. Netcare: Richard Friedland
50. Northam Platinum: Paul Dunne
51. Old Mutual: Bruce Hemphill: Dave Macready and Ralph Mupita
52. PG Group: Charles Bromley
53. Pick n Pay Stores: Gareth Ackerman (chairperson)
54. Pioneer Foods Group Ltd: Phil Roux
55. Primedia: Roger Jardine
56. RCL Foods: Miles Dally
57. Remgro Finance Corporation: Jannie Durand
58. Reunert: Alan Dickson
59. Richards Bay Minerals: Mpho Mothoa
60. RMB Holdings and RMI Holdings: Herman Bosman
61. Rothschild: Martin Kingston
62. Safika Holdings: Moss Ngoasheng
63. Sanlam: Ian Kirk
64. Sappi Limited: Steve Binnie
65. Sasol Limited: Bongani Nqwababa & Stephen Cornell
66. SEIFSA: Kaizer Nyatsumba
67. Shell Downstream South Africa: Bonang Mohale
68. Sibanye Gold: Neal Froneman
69. South32 Limited: Michael Fraser
70. Spar: Graham O'Connor
71. Standard Bank Group Ltd: Ben Kruger & Sim Tshabalala
72. Sun International: Graeme Stephens
73. T-Systems South Africa: Gert Schoonbee
74. Telkom SA Limited: Sipho Maseko
75. TFG: Doug Murray
76. The Banking Association South Africa: Cas Coovadia
77. Tower Property Fund Ltd: Marc Edwards
78. Twinsaver Group: Garth Towell
79. Webber Wentzel: Christo Els (Senior partner)
80. Woolworths Group SA: Simon Susman
81. Woolworths Holdings (Australia): Ian Moir

- News24.com