In a dramatic move of support for Pravin Gordhan, 81 CEOs pledged support for the finance minister days before he presents his mini budget and a week before he appears in court on fraud charges.

“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