Derek Hanekom takes Fikile Mbalula to task over Gordhan remarks

Former ANC national executive committee member Derek Hanekom has criticised ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula for threatening to remove public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan if he does not fix Transnet quickly.

Speaking at the ANC Women’s League national conference at Nasrec at the weekend‚ Mbalula singled out Gordhan and said he must quickly fix the problems faced by the country's rail system or face the chop.

“I’m going to say to Pravin Gordhan‚ I was with him there‚ I was also a minister of transport: ‘Comrade Pravin‚ move faster or otherwise we will move you.’ We do not want ministers who do not know what they are doing. We do not want premieres who do not know what they are doing. When you are a premier‚ you must be busy like [Gauteng premier] Panyaza [Lesufi]‚” he said.

Hanekom said Mbalula’s singling out Gordhan was uncalled for‚ and he asked Mbalula if he was happy with his performance as a former minister.

“When you make a statement like this‚ you need to explain why you are not making a statement on a number of poor performing ministers. Are you satisfied with your own performance when you were a minister?” he asked.

The governing party issued a statement saying Gordhan’s job was safe. ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said Mbalula’s call for Gordhan to fast-track the country’s rail and freight logistics “does not amount to a call for his removal”.

“The minister of public enterprises will undoubtedly not provide answers [alone] facing our rail transport system. The fact a clarion call is sounded on the minister to fast-track policy interventions to address our rail and freight logistics does not amount to a call for his removal‚” said Bhengu-Motsiri.

“We have an obligation to provide adequate responses to all of the challenges. Government‚ working with all South Africans‚ must find amicable programmes to extend our people's frontiers of a better life. The ANC will‚ at all times‚ urge government to move with the necessary speed to implement policy intentions aimed at ensuring a better life to all our people.”

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