By PETER DUBE

More by this Author

Pravin Gordhan was a prominent South African politician and former Minister for Finance. When he died two weeks ago, many would say he left his mark on the nation. But that depends on who sees the mark.

Gordhan died on Friday, September 13. He was 75, and his family said he had battled cancer and died peacefully in the hospital, surrounded by his loved ones and lifelong comrades in the liberation struggle.

But Mr Gordhan’s legacy is a mixture of celebration and controversy. He was known for his strained relationship with former South African president Jacob Zuma, with whom he clashed over fiscal policy and government spending during his tenure as Minister for Finance.

Despite their differences, Mr Zuma paid his respects to Mr Gordhan, remembering the time when he borrowed money from Mr Gordhan to attend an ANC meeting in Eswatini, which was also attended by former president Thabo Mbeki.

“I went to him to borrow money when he was still working at a pharmacy. I asked for a certain amount of money and told him that I was headed to Eswatini, and I would be back. I asked him not to tell anyone. I was leaving on a Friday and returning on a Sunday,” Mr Zuma said.

Mr Gordhan also faced allegations of impropriety and misconduct during his time in office. In 2017, he was controversially removed from his position as Minister of Finance by President Zuma, sparking public outrage and concerns about political interference in government institutions. Although Gordhan was later reinstated, the incident highlighted the deep-seated political tensions and power struggles within the South African government.

Read: Did Zuma target Gordhan in midnight reshuffle?

After he died, reactions from South Africans and political parties poured in, with some expressing their grievances openly. Former Eskom CEO Matshela Koko described Gordhan as an "evil" man who had allegedly damaged the South African economy.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led by Julius Malema, said they would not mourn Gordhan, citing his association with greed, corruption and elitism.

“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,” the EFF said in a statement.

“We cannot mourn counter progressive forces that stood against the potential of building a successful, sovereign country that serves its people. Instead, we are reminded of the wreckage he leaves behind -- wreckage that has ravaged the lives of ordinary South Africans."

The EFF added that Mr Gordhan’s “unchecked power allowed him to operate with impunity.”

"Now he dies with his crimes unpunished. Every collapsed enterprise and every failure that left hundreds of thousands unemployed is part of Pravin Gordhan's shameful legacy."

Mr Koko, in addition to criticising and echoing EFF's sentiments, also harshly condemned his former colleague at Eskom, portraying him as the architect of the company's decline and labelling him as "evil." The firm has struggled to keep up with technology needed to sustain the flow of electricity to homes, leading to frequent power blackouts despite the country having sufficient power generation.

Despite the controversy, Mr Gordhan expressed no regrets before he died, according to his family. In bidding farewell to those closest to him, the former minister emphasised, "I have no regrets, no regrets... We have made our contribution," his family quoted him as saying.

A few months before Mr Gordhan's death, the Democratic Alliance, a party now in a coalition arrangement in South Africa, issued a scathing assessment of Gordhan. Dr Mimmy Gondwe, the Shadow Minister for Public Enterprises, stated that “Gordhan leaves behind a trail of destruction in the SOE sector.” (March 8, 2024).

The DA said Mr Gordhan squandered public goodwill, pandered to the African National Congress (ANC), and left many state-owned enterprises in a much worse state than he found them.

“Gordhan stood by as Eskom lurched from one crisis to another. Since his appointment to the Public Enterprises portfolio, South Africans have spent more days in the dark than at any other time since the crisis began 17 years ago,” said the DA.

“By failing to decisively deal with the load shedding crisis, Gordhan should shoulder part of the blame for South Africa’s struggling economy, loss of jobs, closure of businesses, and attendant decline in private sector investment. Currently, he has triggered an unprecedented attack on parliamentary transparency and accountability.”

Read: South African anti-graft watchdog investigating Ramaphosa ally Gordhan

In contrast, tributes poured in from across the political arena, with many remembering Mr Gordhan as a dedicated public servant who fought against state capture.

President Cyril Ramaphosa also expressed his deep sadness at the loss of Gordhan, describing him as an “outstanding leader.” Mr Ramaphosa said Mr Gordhan fearlessly stood up for justice and equality during state capture.

“We have lost an outstanding leader whose unassuming persona belied the depth of intellect, integrity and energy with which he undertook his activism, his duty as a parliamentarian and his roles as a member of cabinet,” said the South African president.

“In the latter years of his service to the nation, and as a beacon of our fight against corruption, Pravin Gordhan stood up to derision and threats emanating from some in our nation who were scorched by his insistence that justice be dispensed against those who sought to undermine our democracy and raid our public resources and assets.”

Mr Gordhan's funeral service was held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban on Thursday last week.

Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson for President Ramaphosa, said the minister received a special official category 2 funeral service.

Born on April 12, 1949 in Durban, Kwazulu-Natal, Mr Gordhan played a major role in anti-apartheid activities and held various government positions. He is survived by his wife Vanitha and daughters Anisha and Priyesha.

He retired from active politics after this year's general election in South Africa to devote more time to his family.

Mr Gordhan has held various government positions, including Minister of Public Enterprises from 2018 to 2024, Minister of Finance from 2009 to 2014 and again from 2015 to 2017, and Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs from 2014 to 2015. Mr Gordhan also served as the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) from 1999 to 2009, transforming it into a world-class tax and customs administration.

Throughout his career, he remained committed to building and strengthening public institutions to support South Africa's constitutional democracy.