SPEAKERS Profiles
"In 20 years we have done phenomenal things as South Africans, probably in many instances in the quickest time ever in history, but there are still legacies of apartheid which we all wanted to deny." - Pravin Gordhan on Apr 30, 2014
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Ahi * 2014
Minister Pravin Gordhan is current Minister
a student activist in the 1970s whilst he was
of Cooperative Governance and Traditional
studying to become a Pharmacist University
Affairs in the South African Government.
of Durban Westville. For four years he worked in the ANC underground, helping to plan some
He was the former Finance Minister, a
of its operations.
position he held from 2009 to 2014. Before that he was the Commissioner of the South
His reforms at the Revenue Service and his
African Revenue Services (1999 to 2009) as
performance as Finance Minister brought
well as the former Chair of the World Customs
praise from big business and politicians. In his
Organisation (2000 to 2006).
new role as
Minister of Cooperative
Governance and Traditional Affairs the ANC is Pravin Gordhan was born in Durban on 12
placing all its hope in him to get local
April 1949 in a family of Indian origin, Minister
government (municipalities)to function
Gordhan was brought up in Durban. Became
better and to ensure service delivery.