Picture: for illustration purposes
In what seems to be a bending point for South African politics, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan faced strong rebuttal from the African National Congress's (ANC) National Executive Committee (NEC) during its meeting on Monday. The minister's report on the operations of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) was not well received by the members, marking a significant shift in political dynamics within the party.
Sources from within the party have revealed that Gordhan's exposition met with widespread disapproval due to its perceived lack of comprehensiveness. Particular reference was made to the sector's handling of Eskom, with the assertion that Gordhan had inadequately represented matters outside the Gauteng province, a concern voiced by Panyaza Lesufi among others.
The sources further disclosed that President Cyril Ramaphosa made an effort to alleviate tensions escalating from the incident and defended Gordhan from the brewing dissent. It was reported that Ramaphosa emphasized that the energy portfolio was shared among four ministers, a fact that perhaps clouded the perceived inadequacies of Gordhan's presentation.
The NEC's reaction to Gordhan was underpinned by a suggestion unanimously supported to grant increased powers to the Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Sputla Ramokgopa in dealing with Eskom, a move expected to facilitate closer engagement with the board and rectify governance issues.
Apart from the NEC meeting, Gordhan faced notable criticism during the party's National Working Committee meeting on Monday. Criticisms stemmed from allegations of meddling with Eskom activities. His critics include members of Eskom board and former chairperson Malegapuru Makgoba, adding to the severity of the political storm.
The recent resignation of yet another Eskom board chairperson, Mpho Makwana, who accused Gordhan of political interference, further underscores the gravity of the internal controversy and the potential impact on the country's public sector governance.
In addressing these rising issues, Ramaphosa urged Gordhan to direct immediate attention to the worsening public suffering resulting from transformer overload and sabotage in the townships, subsequently causing prolonged periods without electricity access.