Pravin Gordhan, who served as South Africa’s finance minister twice, has passed away at the age of 75.
Gordhan, also the founding commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS), died peacefully in hospital, surrounded by his family and close friends.
He had recently been diagnosed with cancer and was admitted to the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre in Johannesburg.
Before his death, Gordhan shared with loved ones that he had “no regrets” about his life.
Gordhan, a trained pharmacist, became well-known for standing up against state capture, a form of large-scale corruption led by former President Jacob Zuma and the Gupta family.
During his second term as finance minister, from 2015 to 2017, Gordhan worked hard to protect the country from corrupt deals, though he was eventually removed from his position by Zuma.
As the first commissioner of SARS, Gordhan played a major role in improving South Africa’s tax system and helping fund important services like education and healthcare.
However, when he later became Minister of Public Enterprises, he struggled to fix problems at major state-owned companies like Eskom and South African Airways (SAA).
He is survived by his wife, Vanitha, and his two daughters, Anisha and Priyesha.
Compiled by Staff Writer
Pictured above: Pravin Gordhan.
Source: X
