Johnathan Paoli
The National Assembly’s portfolio committee on Public Enterprises has dismissed allegations by Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan that there was a personal vendetta against him.
Committee chairperson, Khaya Magaxa, said despite the existence of minor differences between Gordhan and some of its members, they worked well with him previously.
Magaxa was responding to Gordhan’s statement that the committee chair had a political agenda in the now-cancelled South African Airways (SAA) and Takatso transaction.
This came after the committee resolved to request the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the controversial deal.
Gordhan’s spokesperson, Ellis Mnyandu, last week said the Minister was appalled by Magaxa insinuating that the deal was dodgy.
“Magaxa appears instead to have gone on what increasingly looks to be a rogue campaign to accuse and convict the DPE, and by extension, Minister Pravin Gordhan of impropriety without a shred of verifiable evidence,” Myandu said.
In his own statement on Friday, Magaxa said the differences with Gordhan pertained to gaining access to confidential documents and there was nothing personal.
Magaxa said they always appreciated Gordhan as a man of integrity with enormous credibility, however, he said the issue was about investigating allegations by former department Director-General Kgathatso Tlhakudi and the committee wanted justice for both parties.
Gordhan has not ruled out a Constitutional Court challenge and said he would continue to fight business rescue practitioner Sipho Sono’s bid to sell airline Mango despite suffering several legal setbacks.
The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) last week dismissed the Ministers’ challenge against the North Gauteng High Court ruling of acting Judge Moses Phooko in September last year ordering Gordhan to decide within 30 days whether or not he was giving the sale of the troubled national carrier SAA’s shares in the state-owned low-cost airline.
Mango has previously said its preferred buyer is Ubuntu Air Services, a partnership between AfricaStay, which describes itself as South Africa’s largest specialist wholesale tour operator to destinations in the Indian Ocean, and DG Capital.
According to Sono, the investor has confirmed its readiness to proceed with the transaction, which he believes will yield a positive outcome for Mango’s creditors, unflown ticket holders, Mango’s former employees and the general flying public.
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