NGOs light up Constitution Hill for hospitalised Pravin Gordhan

A number of non-governmental organisations organised a candlelit vigil for former public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan on Wednesday evening.

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Johannesburg Against Injustice (JAI) and Defend Our Democracy received a handful of Joburg residents at Constitution Hill to show solidarity for Gordhan, who was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday.

While the reason he was admitted is still unclear, family spokesperson Adrian Lackay said Gordhan is “receiving the best available medical care”.

In August last year, Gordhan tendered an apology on the eve of a meeting of parliament’s portfolio committee on public enterprises, where he was due to answer allegations the former director general of his department made against him in a protected disclosure.

At the time, Gordhan said he could not attend because of his ill health and had been advised not to travel by plane.

Candlelit vigil for Gordhan

“We are at the Flame of Democracy in Constitution Hill to send well wishes, support and strength to the family of Pravin Gordhan with a candlelit vigil,” the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation tweeted.

Accompanying the text on X was a photo of a group of residents holding up posters.

One poster read, “Pravin stands for clean government” while others wished him a healthy recovery.

All had photos of the former minister.

Defend Our Democracy tweeted photos with the text “From today’s candlelit virgil [sic] wishing #PravinGordhan a speedy recovery. Gordhan, an anti-apartheid liberation struggle activist, & one of the foremost voices against state capture, is currently in hospital. The virgil [sic] is taking place at the Flame of Democracy at Constitution Hill.”

Former minister leaves Parliament amid SAA-Takatso debacle

Pravin Gordan left Parliament after the May elections.

The ministry of public enterprises ceased to exist after the elections. The coordination of relevant public enterprises is now located under the Department of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation (DPME) during the process of implementing a new shareholder model.

Minister Maropene Ramokgopa heads this department.

Before Gordhan left Parliament, he was the centre of much criticism for the failure to sell corruption- and maladministration-plagued South African Airways (SAA).

Although Gordhan insisted the proposed sale of SAA was above board, the parliamentary committee in March called for the SIU to investigate irregularities in the deal.