Pravin will leave a leadership void

Few people will forget the courageous part Pravin Gordhan played in standing up to Jacob Zuma to ensure further state capture did not take place when he served as finance minister for a second time under the former president.

Nor will people forget his solid leadership at the SA Revenue Service.

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Although he later took a softer stance on those implicated within the ANC in the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, he was trusted by the markets and investors, so his announcement this week that he will retire from politics after the general election in May will leave a leadership void, even though many believe he has failed in his last role as public enterprises minister over the past six years.

Gordhan oversees state entities Transnet, Eskom and SAA – all of which are in tatters and putting huge strain on our economy.

Professor André Duvenhage from the North-West University said: “The question is, are we going to miss Gordon? I don’t think to that extent because of two reasons. One, the problems within the ANC that need to be dealt with are bigger than what Gordhan can manage.

Secondly, I think he had his day and he had the opportunity to deal with these issues and didn’t have huge successes.

When he was at Sars, he was relatively successful. But when he entered more formal politics as minister of finance and now minister of public enterprises, the pattern was not healthy.”

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Gordhan told Business Day: “I feel it is time to focus on my family and health. It is an end of 50 years of activism, but I will always remain an activist. It has been a great privilege to serve in various capacities and hopefully I can contribute by teaching what I know to new and younger generations.”

The public enterprises portfolio will soon be no more, destined to close next year. Let’s hope the replacement State Asset Management SOC Ltd will finally deliver.

But judging by the infighting and internal politics when it comes to our state-owned enterprises over the last few years, don’t hold your breath.