‘He worked with the hand he was dealt’: Trevor Manuel defends Gordhan’s legacy

Former finance minister Trevor Manuel spoke highly of his successor, Pravin Gordhan, after the struggle stalwart and statesman died on Friday morning.

Gordhan, a former finance and public enterprises minister, died peacefully in hospital surrounded by his family, closest friends and his lifelong comrades in the liberation struggle, his family said.

While there were many tributes for Gordhan, 75, not everyone mourned his death.

EFF show no sorrow at Gordhan’s death

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) claimed he “died with his crimes unpunished”.

Gordhan’s stance on state capture, former president Jacob Zuma, and rampant corruption regularly made him the target of not only internal African National Congress (ANC) opponents but opposition parties such as the EFF.

 EFF MP Leigh-Ann Mathys said the red berets noted the death of the minister “without any pretence of 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,” Mathys said.

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Trevor Manuel comes to Gordhan’s defence

In May 2009, Zuma appointed Gordhan as minister of finance, succeeding Manuel. He served in that position from 2009 until 2014 when he was replaced by Nhlanhla Nene as minister of finance.

After a brief disastrous appointment of Des van Rooyen, Zuma reluctantly reappointed Gordhan in 2015.

He also served as minister of co-operative governance and traditional affairs from 2014 until 2015 and as minister of public enterprises since February 2018 until the department ceased to exist after this year’s elections.

Speaking to eNCA, Manuel said everything had already been stolen by state capture at South Africa’s public enterprises by the time Gordhan took over.

“By the time PG is assigned that department, the cupboards are bare, the debt is high,” Manuel said.

“If you look at the debt service cost for Transnet, Eskom, the list is endless. He had to work with the hand he was dealt.”

He said Gordhan played an important role in rebuilding public enterprises and giving them a new sense of purpose and place.

“What cannot be disputed by anybody was his lifelong commitment to his beliefs, the way he lived, his commitment to ensure everything was done to build a cadre who could follow.”

Watch Trevor Manuel’s interview below:

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Additional reporting by Faizel Patel