Pravin Gordhan, a principled negotiator who understood compromise to reach the best solution – Theuns Eloff

Pravin Gordhan, who passed away this week, was a respected ANC Cabinet Minister renowned for his battle against state capture and his two terms as Finance Minister. Tributes have poured in, highlighting his pivotal role in strengthening the South African Revenue Service against state capture, with whistleblower Johann van Loggerenberg dubbing him a “superhero.” In the heady days of the nineties, following Nelson Mandela’s release from prison and amidst the negotiations for a new Constitution at Kempton Park, Gordhan was entrusted to lead the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) and the Transitional Executive Council (TEC), which set the stage for the country’s first democratic elections in 1994. Working closely with Gordhan at that time was Theuns Eloff, who served as the head of administration for the multiparty negotiation process. Eloff described Gordhan in an interview with Biznews as a principled negotiator and facilitator who understood compromise in order to reach the best solution. “There were three individuals during the negotiations who, behind the scenes and not in the public limelight, really made the process work: Mac Maharaj, Fanie van der Merwe, and Pravin Gordhan.” Regarding the criticism levelled at Gordhan over his handling of state-owned enterprises, Eloff said that what he accomplished during the negotiations and as Finance Minister overshadows “any rightful criticisms one might have regarding his time at Public Enterprises.” He concluded that Gordhan’s legacy is “largely positive.”