Gordhan’s answer to journalist shows there are ‘no real consequences’ for ministers

As South Africa reels from ongoing bouts of load shedding, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan’s ridiculing of a journalist’s question – when asked whether he would resign over his failure to efficiently lead Eskom – demonstrated lack of accountability by the ANC-led government, political analysts said on Thursday.

Since taking over the stewardship of public enterprises – among them Eskom, SABC, Denel, Transnet and SA Airways – Gordhan has failed to take full responsibility for state-owned enterprise fiascos, preferring to blame weaknesses on the state capture phenomenon under the previous Jacob Zuma administration.

During a media briefing shared with Eskom chief executive André de Ruyter, Gordhan’s response created a storm that set social media ablaze by “congratulating” SABC journalist Samkele Maseko for “a wonderful political speech”.

This after Maseko enquired: “For how long can South Africans tolerate the failures of the power utility to ensure security of electricity in the country?

“Mr Gordhan, you have been at the helm now for quite some time. You and the CEO of Eskom André de Ruyter, are failing when it comes to the power utility Eskom.

“When can we as South Africans expect your resignations as André de Ruyter and Pravin Gordhan, as opposed to firing people at a lower level? Yet, both of you are seemingly failing when it comes to energy security.”

Gordhan retorted: “I don’t run the plant.”

University of Johannesburg politics professor Siphamandla Zondi and University of Pretoria politics lecturer Roland Henwood said Gordhan’s failure to respond to Maseko’s question reflected lack of accountability by members of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet.

“Failure to respond to a simple question of a journalist does nothing to improve political accountability and transparency,” said Zondi.

“It undermines the promise by the Ramaphosa government to be accountable and noncorrupt.

“It creates an impression that taking responsibility for the performance of a minister’s portfolio is only right when accounting for progress – as it shows in minister Gordhan’s budget speeches, but not when accounting for failures.

“To be arrogant and confrontational is a strategy – one that carries huge risks for the minister and for government.

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“If it was not intended, but a spur of the moment thing, then he needs to apologise,” Zondi said.

“It may be that the pressure of serving under the heavy spotlight – both as a voice of change under Zuma and as an actor under Ramaphosa – has worsened Gordhan’s temper.”

Henwood said responding to questions from the media was “one of the key issues in accountability”, with Gordhan’s answer to Maseko showing there were “no real consequences” for ministers.

“Senior political leaders and government officials get away with this lack of response or responsibility.

“It is tolerated and accepted,” said Henwood.

“Yes, it goes back to a previous ANC government – however, there has been no consequences and no results.

“A few officials became victims, mostly for whistleblowing and refusing to play along.

“We also saw a range of changes at the board and at management level – though not for reasons of accountability or nonperformance.”

Henwood said what made the current Eskom crisis “more unacceptable” was that “we now see accusations of political sabotage coming from the ANC”.

– brians@citizen.co.za