Gordhan ‘racial politics’ ‘not to blame’ for SOE black bosses’ exodus

It is unfair to point fingers at Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan for the resignations of executives at state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and it has nothing to do with race but with job pressures.

Political analyst Daniel Silke said the Economic Freedom Fighters always tried to get race into everything – something that did not exist in the running of SOEs. But this helped the EFF attempt to keep matters in the public discourse, he said.

The EFF has accused Gordhan of being behind the alleged purging of black executives in the SOEs. The party said it was concerned about the resignations and firing of black executives from state-owned companies since Gordhan became minister of public enterprises.

“Instead of providing support that will lead to stability in state-owned enterprises, Gordhan is presiding over massive purges of black and, particularly African, executives,” said Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, EFF spokesperson.

“The EFF will write to President Cyril Ramaphosa to demand that he immediately remove Gordhan,” Ndlozi said.

Since Gordhan’s arrival as the minister, Siyabonga Gama has gone from Transnet, Phakamani Hadebe from Eskom and SAA CEO Vuyani Jarana has resigned.

The SAA board has accepted Jarana’s resignation, but the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union expressed shock at his resignation.

But Silke said the resignations reflected the “very big state of rot” that existed in the SOEs.

“The extreme difficulty for anybody, regardless of race, is the struggle to find the turnaround strategy. These CEOs are under immense pressures within and outside of the SOEs – from the minister of public enterprises and their boards. These are pressure-point jobs. You have to be made of steel to withstand pressure from all these points,” Silke said.

Gordhan’s spokesperson, Adrian Lackay, could not be reached for comment and did not answer his mobile phone.

He had not returned calls at the time of publishing.

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