Many South Africans and political parties, the EFF among them, did not sanitise their views on former finance and public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan on Friday.
Gordhan died on Friday, at the age of 75, reportedly from cancer.
EFF said it noted Gordhan’s death, without pretence or sorrow.
“Gordhan was a man whose legacy is deeply intertwined with the destruction of our state-owned enterprises and the betrayal of the people of South Africa. We cannot mourn counter-progressive forces that stood against the potential of building a successful, sovereign country that serves its people.
“Instead, we are reminded of the wreckage he leaves — a wreckage that has ravaged the lives of ordinary South Africans,” said EFF national spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys.
She said Gordhan had been appointed minister of public enterprises, under President Cyril Ramaphosa, in in 2018, a move that signalled his role in “cleaning up” the state-owned enterprises that would later deteriorate under his leadership.
“It is here, in his final public role, that Gordhan would preside over the disintegration of South Africa’s most critical state assets.
“Gordhan was the embodiment of greed, corruption and elitism. His tenure as minister of public enterprises was a period of unparalleled disaster for every state-owned enterprise he touched.
“Under his leadership, Eskom became a shadow of its former self, plunging this country into a permanent state of load shedding, while blackouts shattered livelihoods and businesses across the nation. Transnet, which once facilitated the efficient movement of goods, is now in ruins, barely able to function. Denel, a proud defence company, was brought to its knees, while SAA, our national airline, was sold off in a corrupt deal that reeks of treason.
“The infamous SAA Takatso deal, which Gordhan orchestrated, remains one of the most scandalous examples of how he sold out our nation's assets for private interests.”
Mathys said the deal was inexplicable, underhanded and deliberately designed to benefit a select few at the expense of the many. Even now, the full extent of its treachery had not been properly scrutinised because Gordhan, a man at the centre of corruption, had evaded accountability at every turn.
“In fact, in his final days as minister, Gordhan brazenly spat in the face of South Africans, refusing to account to them. When summoned to appear before Parliament – the very institution through which he was supposed to answer to the people of South Africa – he arrogantly and unapologetically declared that he would not comply, showing his utter disdain for the people of South Africa.”
She said every collapsed enterprise and every failure that had left hundreds of thousands unemployed was part of Gordhan’s shameful legacy.
“We will not shed a tear for the likes of Pravin Gordhan, nor will we celebrate the false legacies created by his apologists. He will be remembered for his role in stifling the growth of our nation, destroying the hopes of millions, and enabling the collapse of our state entities. His death comes before he could face justice, but those left behind will continue to suffer the consequences of his betrayal as a minister of Public Enterprises.
“Gordhan’s legacy is one of failure, exploitation and corruption. May we never allow another Pravin Gordhan to rise again,” Mathys said.
Hankin Pasele did not mince his words when reacting to Gordhan’s death on X.
“We welcome the death of the former prime minister Pravin Gordhan, a Stellenbosch askari, an apartheid apologist, a butcher of the working class and black families. We are too young to be understanding and have political tolerance towards agents of Satan. He must go to hell,” said Pasele.
Former Eskom senior executive and engineer Matshela Koko also took to X and wrote: “The man who collapsed Eskom, Transnet and Denel and sold SAA for R51 is no more. The evil that men do lives after them!”
For the first time, former ANC member and current EFF MP Carl Niehaus was not moved to say anything about Gordhan.
“I have absolutely nothing positive to say about this man. So, let my silence speak my utter contempt for him, and the terrible havoc that he has wrecked on our country.”
The Star
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