Minister Pravin Gordhan Condemns the Disruptions at Wits University Lecture, Says the Conduct Was “Appalling”

• Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan condemned the behaviour of a group of students at the University of Witswaterands
• The minister said the group of “disruptors” posed as guests were “hell-bent” on disrupting the lecture and described the conduct as appalling
• Gordhan said it was an attempt to mislead the public and that he also said that he was the target of a racist attack

JOHANNESBURG - Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan condemned the behaviour of a group of students at the University of Witswaterands Centenary Celebration that took place on Thursday night, 7 July. He had finished delivering a lecture on state-owned enterprises (SEO) when students questioned him on Eskom’s state.

The minister said the students were “hell-bent” on disrupting the lecture and described the conduct as appalling. In a statement shared by SABC News, Gordhan said the group of “disruptors” posed as guests and were briefed by political forces to create disruptions and instability in the country.

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He said that the aim of the group was to intimidate rather than engage. Gordhan said it was an attempt to mislead the public. He also said that he was the target of a racist attack.

According to the statement, the minister’s office said it would not be intimidated nor threatened by the “well-orchestrated” performance. It added that it would continue engaging stakeholders without fear to teach South Africans the truth about corruption.

According to eNCA, one student told the minister to take accountability and stop blaming the country’s woes on the state capture.

South Africans react to Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan’s comments:

Sihle_Langa23 said:

“We don’t care all I know is as South Africans we are tired of these ministers. That was just the beginning all ministers should be treated like that. We can’t be acting as if we don’t see that SA is going into the floods.”

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@Blacksh90139340 commented:

“They were holding him accountable and they succeeded. They cannot continue hiding behind Zuma for their current failures.”

@Ribo72887917 posted:

“That small clique was representing the frustrations of the majority of South Africans.”

@_blackhomage added:

“Some of the ANC grandpa’s think they own South Africa. This country belongs to all South Africans. It is not a one-man show. That is why we need leaders who have their hearts in the best interest of the country. PG owns no one. If he fails he fails, therefore he must step down.”

Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan ridiculed by Wits Students while warning of state capture 2.0

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan was heckled and threatened by a group of students while he was trying to address the University of Witswaterands students on Thursday, 7 July. Gordhan’s security had to whisk him away from the event as the unruly group hurled racial insults and threatened the minister.

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Gordhan was invited by the Wits of Governance and called to speak on the future of state-owned entities and shortly after proceedings began, a member of the Congress of SA Students named Douglas Ngobeni began the name-calling, reports News24.

Source: Briefly News