Portfolio committee denies Gordhan's accusation of personal vendetta

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.