By threatening the parliamentary portfolio committee on public enterprises with legal action, soon-to-retire Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan once again demonstrates his lack of appetite for accountability.

It’s an open secret that Gordhan did everything in his power to disempower the committee, including by not howing up to scheduled meetings to a point that MPs turned to legal means to get him to provide documents about the now-failed SAA-Takatso deal.

What’s been rather surprising is that he and the public enterprises department have now made it their business to single out committee chairperson Khaya Magaxa in their attacks.

Had Gordhan disclosed the details of the SAA deal with the same vigour and enthusiasm, perhaps there would be little suspicion about the deal. Instead, he chose not to.

What’s there to hide from the public when the minister was entrusted to make these decisions on behalf of South Africans?

Wanting to portray Magaxa as the problem for asking him the hard questions he has repeatedly refused to answer and accusing him of turning the oversight exercise into a kangaroo court is nothing but scapegoating.

The committee must therefore be commended for recommending that the SAA deal be referred to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) for further investigation. If that makes Gordhan fume, then South Africans have a valid reason to be suspicious.

Analysts have aptly stated that instead of being opposed to the probe, Gordhan should welcome it if everything with the deal was above board.

He himself has stated that there was no malfeasance involving the deal, so why the attacks on Magaxa and not the entire committee?

Gordhan, just like embattled National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and any ANC bigwig for that matter, is not above the law.

Thinking that he cannot be subjected to the same laws South Africans are subjected to must come to an end.

Gordhan’s retirement must not prevent the probe from continuing.

He must be called to task beyond his retirement. By doing so, he is not doing anyone a favour but fulfilling his responsibilities.

Thanking him for doing his high-paying ministerial duties would be tantamount to applauding a fish for swimming.

Cape Times