“In this regard, we respect the constitutional mandate that the NPA has to discharge without fear, favour or prejudice. This mandate has to be balanced against the constitutional rights of all individuals, including the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law,” Ramaphosa said in a statement on Tuesday.

Ramaphosa was responding to comments reportedly made by the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) secretary-general, Njabulo Nzuza. He said the comments made by Nzuza on Ramaphosa’s support for Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan were “unfortunate and without substance”.

Gordhan and former South African Revenue Service employees, Oupa Magashula and Ivan Pillay, face charges of fraud related to Pillay’s early retirement in 2010. They are expected to appear in the Pretoria Regional Court for the first time next Wednesday.

“The situation requires of all South Africans to demonstrate unity in defence of constitutional values, the integrity of our legal system and the objective of setting South Africa on a path of sustainable and inclusive economic growth that will help us overcome poverty, unemployment and inequality,” Ramaphosa said.

“In this regard and whatever the legal challenges that Minister Gordhan may face, we must not undermine the work that the government jointly with leaders of business and labour have been doing to stimulate domestic and international investment in our economy and have yielded impressive outcomes across a range of industrial sectors.”

The Presidency said that Ramaphosa’s statement on the matter is consistent with the official responses of President Jacob Zuma, the Cabinet, and the ruling party. Ramaphosa’s support on this issue is based on none other than the constitutional principle of presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court of law, the Presidency said.

“We therefore call upon commentators on this matter to familiarise themselves with the contents of Deputy President Ramaphosa’s statement before offering commentary.”

Nzuza on Tuesday reportedly criticised Ramaphosa and described him as a person with double standards.

TMG Digital reported that Nzuza lashed out at Ramaphosa and other ANC members for causing a “fracas and portraying a government that is at war with itself”.

“On the issue of Ramaphosa‚ you have a leader of the state institution called National Treasury and you also have a state institution called the National Director of Public Prosecutions. Both these state institutions require support through the deputy president‚ but he decides to support Pravin Gordhan and does not support another institution‚ which is the NPA‚” Nzuza was reported as saying.

“To us‚ that is double standards. There are a number of leaders of the organisation who have been charged before and have appeared in court and cleared their names in court… such as the rape case of the president‚ who went to court and was found not guilty.”

Ramaphosa has publically come out and supported Gordhan saying he was “an impeccable man”.

ANA