Minister of Public Enterprise Retirement Sparks Debate on the Future of State-Owned Entities in South Africa

The South African general public is not fazed by the retirement of Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan; they are still accusing him of wrongdoing

 

SAA is one of the government companies that are in danger of being sold

The retirement of the Minister of Public Enterprises in South Africa has stirred mixed sentiments among the public. Despite calls for his retirement persisting over the years, the announcement has not been met with universal satisfaction. A longstanding point of contention arises from the perceived undoing of the efforts initiated by previous administrations, notably those of Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma.

 

During the tenures of Mbeki and Zuma, a concerted effort was made to safeguard key public enterprises, ensuring their continued governance by the state. The policy of refraining from privatizing these entities was a cornerstone of their administrations. However, under the current leadership of Cyril Ramaphosa, there has been a discernible shift in this approach. The public has increasingly perceived a tendency towards the privatization of remaining public enterprises, a move that has not resonated well with the citizenry.

 

Minister Pravin Ghordan, in his capacity, has been viewed as a proponent of this shift, further fueling public discontent. The dissatisfaction with the administration's trajectory has placed the public in a precarious position, akin to standing at the intersection of conflicting interests. Consequently, whether the Minister retires or not, there is a prevailing sentiment that the underlying issues will persist, rendering the retirement itself inconsequential in addressing the broader concerns of the public.

For more on this story, read a story by The South African news on this Microsoft link