Friends and family defend Gordhan’s legacy

Former Finance Minister, Trevor Manuel, has come out in defense of Pravin Gordan following the EFF’s scathing remarks about the late former statesman.

This as Gordon’s friends and family gathered at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton, just hours after the news of his passing broke.

The EFF, which seems to not have been moved by the former minister’s passing, says he embodied greed, corruption and elitism.

The party has labelled his tenure as Minister of Public Enterprises as a period of unparalleled disaster for every State-Owned Entity (SOE).

Not mincing their words, Julius Malema’s party in a statement said Gordhan died before he could face justice.

“His unchecked power allowed him to operate with impunity, and now he dies with his crimes unpunished,” the statement read.

However, Manuel says the EFF is in no position to criticise his legacy, when corruption defines what the party is about.

Manuel has rubbished the EFF’s comments, saying their issues with the former SARS boss stemmed from Gordhan’s insistence that the party disclose its funding sources.

“There’s a fundamental problem with a party that will not disclose who funds it and to what extent, in spite of legislative requirements,” he said.

In April, Malema revealed that the party had secured funding for its 2024 election campaign through the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and Parliament allocations, as well as bank loans from an unnamed service provider.

This amid mounting questions over how the 10-year-old organisation has been able to keep afloat over the years.

Also speaking at the briefing was Gordhan’s daughter, Priyesha who said that malicious political attacks and unproven allegations made by parties like the EFF against her father had ultimately led to his passing.

Priyesha recounted the distress her family endured when they read in the newspapers that her father might be arrested and led away in handcuffs.

In 2017, former president, Jacob Zuma, sacked the then finance minister after blowing the whistle on the so-called state capture.

Despite this, she said her father chose to persevere because he felt the country needed him.

While some have praised him for his integrity in exposing state capture, others like the EFF, believe he collapsed of state-owned entities during his tenure as Public Enterprises Minister.

Gordhan passed away in the early hours of Friday morning following a short battle with cancer.

The family has confirmed the 75-year-old’s funeral service will be held in Durban on Thursday, which will followed by a private cremation.