Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan delivers his 2016 Budget speech to parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, February 24, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings/File Photo

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Monday a newspaper report saying Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan will be charged this year over a surveillance unit at the tax agency is “entirely without merit”.

“The investigations are currently underway and are believed to be at an advance stage,” the NPA said in a statement.

City Press newspaper reported on Sunday that Gordhan will be charged this year, six days after separate charges were dropped against him.