By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The late Pravin Gordhan was praised for his ethical leadership during a memorial service held by the ANC Gauteng at the Johannesburg City Hall on Tuesday afternoon.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Ahmed Kathrada Foundation’s Neeshan Balton said about four weeks ago, Gordhan’s friends and family hosted a farewell, not knowing that a few days later he would be diagnosed with cancer.
“He didn’t know. He had very little time to prepare, but he was going to fight it. Unfortunately, by Tuesday last week, he was hospitalised,” Balton said.
He spoke on how Gordhan prepared for his funeral from his deathbed, including the fact that he wanted his funeral to be in Durban and that his body is flown there with SAA.
According to Balton, President Cyril Ramaphosa was one of the last people to visit Gordhan before he died on Friday morning.
Balton praised PG, as he was affectionately called. Balton highlighted his mastery of activism and his contribution to rebuilding South Africa and his principled stance against corruption.
He concluded his tribute by calling out the ANC for dishonouring his friend’s legacy.
How do you honour PG while dishonouring him with this presence of state capturers in Parliament?
ANC treasurer general Gwen Ramokgopa spoke about how the former minister retired from parliamentary politics after the elections but stayed on as an ANC and NEC subcommittee for finance members.
“Many of us once deployed in state institutions or who are involved in business and other sectors in society forget that democracy needs to be managed – not comrade Pravin Gordhan. He always made time for the ANC, “Ramokgopa said.
She further described corruption as a cancer and emphasised the importance of fighting corruption decisively to honour Gordhan’s legacy.
“PG, this is a clarion call that we must ensure that the scourge, the cancer of fraud, corruption, and criminality, needs all of us to join hands and indeed to uproot it from our society,” Ramokgopa said.
She described Gordhan’s death as a significant loss, especially during times of domestic and global changes and challenges.
Gauteng and ANC provincial leader Premier Panyaza Lesufi recalled meeting Gordhan when he was a student at the University of Natal (University of KwaZulu-Natal) and described him as a solider who was fearless, determined, and loving.
Lesufi emphasised that Gordhan never turned his back on the ANC, even in difficult times.
“He remained true when he was alive, and he remained true even in his death. Because in him, we saw a true character of the ANC comrades,” the premier said.
The funeral service for Gordhan will take place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban at 10h00 on Thursday, 19 September 2024.
Ramaphosa has declared a Special Official Funeral Category 2 in honour of the late struggle and Cabinet veteran who passed away on Friday, 13 September 2024, at the age of 75, following a period of illness.
Gordhan served as Minister of Finance from 2009 until 2014 and again from 2015 until 2017.
He also served as Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs from 2014 until 2015, and as Minister of Public Enterprises from February 2018 until his March 2024 announcement of planned retirement.
Gordhan was appointed as Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service in 1999, after a period as Deputy Commissioner.
The Special Official Funeral Category 2 will entail ceremonial elements performed by the South African Police Service.
The funeral service will be followed by a private cremation.
Gordhan’s family has requested that in lieu of floral tributes, mourners offer donations to charities of their choice, or the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation.