EFF statement on the continued failure of Transnet and Public Enterprises leadership
5 September 2023
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) demand the immediate and unequivocal resignation of the Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan. His casual, almost leisurely, approach to a role of immense national significance is a disgrace.
Minister Gordhan treats his ministerial duties like a part-time recreational bowling game at an old-age home, which is an affront to every South African expecting focused and effective leadership.
The EFF is not shocked by the revelation of Transnet's catastrophic RI 30 billion debt.
It is the inevitable outcome of years of incompetent governance and a blatant lack of oversight. This isn't just a number; it's a scathing indictment of a leadership that has utterly failed to grasp the strategic importance of transport and logistics in the re-industrialisation of our nation.
The EFF has long held that the appointments of Pravin Gordhan, CEO Portia Derby, and the inept Transnet board are nothing more than political chess moves orchestrated by Cyril Ramaphosa and his ANC faction. These appointments were never about merit or capability; they are about power games that sacrifice the wellbeing of South Africa and its people.
The orchestrated crisis at Transnet is not a mere blunder; it is a deliberately engineered wreck. Shockingly, CEO Portia Derby has been more preoccupied with the livelihoods of truck drivers — who recklessly endanger lives on roads never designed for such heavy-duty vehicles — than with her core mandate to stabilise Transnet. This is not just mere incompetence, this is betrayal.
In conclusion, let it be known that as long as Pravin Gordhan helms the Ministry of Public Enterprises, any hope for the revival or survival of our SOEs should be considered dead on arrival. His immediate resignation, along with that of CEO Portia Derby and the entire Transnet board, is not just warranted — it is a prerequisite for the economic revival of this nation.
Issued by Sinawo Thambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 5 September 2023
