Pravin Gordhan’s R6 million share portfolio revealed

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan owns shares in some of South Africa’s largest companies, including Sasol, Absa, FirstRand, Standard Bank, Vodacom, MTN, Shoprite, Richemont, Remgro, Sanlam, and Prosus.

This was revealed by Parliament’s Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests in its register of members’ interests for 2023.

To ensure transparency and build public trust and confidence in Parliament, members must declare their significant business holdings, shares owned, and gifts received. 

The register only includes declarations from Members of Parliament (MPs), which means that President Cyril Ramaphosa and the two cabinet ministers he appoints who are not MPs are not required to declare their interests.

As Public Enterprises Minister, Gordhan is the shareholder representative of the government at South Africa’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs), including Eskom, Transnet, the Post Office, and SAA. 

For his role in providing oversight of these SOEs, Gordhan has come under heavy criticism as their performances have deteriorated steadily during his tenure. 

Gordhan declared a litany of gifts and a R3 million flat in Durban. The gifts Gordhan received included a small desk display from the CCO of Karpowership South Africa. 

The Minister also received gifts from the Chinese Ambassador, a Minister from the United Arab Emirates, the Chinese Energy Conference, and various gifts from Chinese businesspeople. 

Gordhan has an extensive investment portfolio worth R5.89 million, covering many of South Africa’s largest listed companies and a handful of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). 

This excludes his pension with the Government Employees Pension Fund. 

Gordhan owns shares in many blue-chip companies such as Sasol, Absa, Standard Bank, FirstRand, Vodacom, MTN, Shoprite, Anglo American, Bidvest, British American Tobacco, and Sanlam. 

He also owns shares in Johann Rupert-owned Remgro, Richemont, and Reinet Investments. 

Gordhan’s collection of ETFs is predominantly feeder funds that invest in index-tracking funds in the United States and Europe. The Minister also has a government bond ETF and a property ETF. 

Below is a table of Gordhan’s investment portfolio.