The family of Pravin Gordhan announced that he had passed away at the age of 75 early on Friday morning, September 13, 2024, after losing his battle with cancer. The struggle icon is remembered for his no-nonsense approach and his principled fight against state capture.

As Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS), Gordhan transformed SARS into one of the most effective tax receiver agencies in the world.

SARS Commissioner

Gordhan was appointed SARS Deputy Commissioner in 1998 and ascended to the position of Commissioner the following year. He served at the helm of South Africa's tax collection agency from 1999 to 2009, where he worked to establish the foundations of a modern tax and customs administration.

I first met Gordhan during the early years of my career when he spoke at a SARS-organised seminar in Lenasia around 2003. The purpose of the seminar was to impress upon Muslim businesspeople the importance of becoming tax compliant; he made it very clear to all gathered that he was aware of the infamous 'Ooplang' practice where various means are used to avoid paying what was legally due to the government.

After reminding the fairly large audience that tax evasion is one of the easiest crimes to investigate, he shared stories of how some of America's most wanted fugitives from justice were eventually nabbed on tax evasion charges. There were nervous laughs in the audience, but Gordhan said he did not come to Lenasia with a stick; he instead appealed to their sense of patriotism and shared with the audience the various government programmes actively making a difference in the lives of those who had been previously disadvantaged.

Listening to him, I was struck by his strong sense of duty to the country. After all, Pravin Gordhan had impeccable struggle credentials, and it was refreshing to see someone using their position in government to urge others to get onboard with the nation-building project.

Under his watch, SARS became one of the most feared state institutions, and at the same time, it routinely exceeded revenue collection targets. It is no surprise, therefore, that as a government minister, he was one of the most vociferous opponents of the state capture project.

Finance Minister

His most famous role in government was as Finance Minister. When he replaced the long-serving Trevor Manuel in 2009, his appointment was widely seen as a continuation of Manuel's prudent fiscal policy and responsible spending.

His second stint as the political principal of the National Treasury came at the height of the state capture years between 2015 and 2017, when he was eventually dismissed by then-President Jacob Zuma. It was during this time that South Africa witnessed Gordhan's steely resolve as he faced a sustained campaign against him by state agencies, cabinet ministers, and even the Hawks.

My next encounter with Gordhan, albeit indirectly, was at a 2016 press conference called by him, where he refused to answer questions posed by a journalist dispatched by the Gupta-owned ANN7 News channel. In the same year, he issued a statement calling on South Africans to defend the National Treasury and its employees who were trying their best under extraordinary circumstances.

It struck me that he was able to get ordinary South Africans to support his battle to limit the rampant corruption that then-public protector, Advocate Thuli Madonsela, would describe as State Capture.

Legacy

Pravin Gordhan's legacy of public service spans 50 years. During that time, he served in multiple positions, including Minister of Public Enterprises, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, and as an ordinary Member of Parliament.

He retired from public service in March 2024, just before the end of the 6th administration and the May 29 general elections. Gordhan trained as a pharmacist but, shortly after graduation, joined the underground struggle against apartheid and distinguished himself as the secretary of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress.

He will be remembered as one of the best-performing commissioners of the tax receiver and his legacy as an anti-corruption activist will be one of his strongest.