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Public Enterprise Minister Pravin Gordhan was on Thursday heckled and his lecture disrupted by students at Wits University in Johannesburg on the repositioning of the state-owned enterprises.
Gordhan spoke about a new version of state capture that was surfacing, which threatened to drag the country back into corruption. Chaos erupted when the question and answer session started between Gordhan and the students.
In a statement after the event, the department of public enterprises issued a statement in which it condemned the “dissemination of fake news and disinformation”.
“The minister was waiting for questions, he waited until the end. Instead, he was the target of a vitriolic, racist attack,” spokesperson Richard Mantu said.
Here are some of the comments and questions put to Gordhan during the commotion in which he also shouted back that he was not intimidated:
- You speak of nine wasted years as if you are not part of those wasted years. You were a minister … [Gordhan interjected asking if the person had a question].
- Minister, why did you appoint André de Ruyter as the CEO even though you know that he came from Nampak and he collapsed that company? Today he is giving us unending load shedding…(interjection).
- You have said it here today that the Prime Minister of Britain or what, what has resigned today. You and Andre De Ruyter must do the same for the betterment of South Africa.
- One of the things that would solve the Eskom crisis is that Eskom must be the sole prerogative of the department of mineral resources and energy because that is the department that ensures that we have the energy to energy to keep the country and therefore the economy running.
- Minister, how much did you sell SSA for? I want to understand that because now we are going to face a situation in which Eskom will be sold as well.
Gordhan could not get the opportunity to respond, and the event was cancelled, prompting the group of students to chant: “Pravin must go”.
But not before Gordhan said: “I came here to have a discussion with you. You have come here as an organised clique in order to disrupt. You are the paid servants of the people I’m talking about. People who want corruption to continue. All of you speak the same language.”
READ: EXCLUSIVE | How Pravin Gordhan flew solo on SAA-Takatso deal, cutting out advisors
He continued: “You are not going to intimidate us. You are not going to intimidate us. What are you going to do?”
Mantu said: “The clique was clearly briefed by political forces intent on creating disruption and instability in South Africa. The aim was not to engage but to intimidate us.”
“Let us repeat, we will not be intimidated nor threatened by their well-orchestrated performance. We will continue to engage stakeholders all over our country without fear so that all South Africans know the truth about corruption and the corrupt.”
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