Pravin Gordhan’s two daughters paid heartfelt tributes to the former minister at his funeral on Thursday at the Durban ICC, reiterating their father’s love for South Africa and also touching on what a great father he was to them.
Anisha and Priyesha Gordhan encouraged South Africans to continue their father’s legacy, a life devoted and dedicated to the betterment of this country and its people.
“The outpouring of love since the passing of my dad has been a great source of comfort for us,” Anisha told the crowd.
“I thank you for celebrating my father, he loved his country and its people.”
Anisha asked South Africans to picture a South Africa where the cost of bread is R200; where billions of dollars have been paid to Russia for failed nuclear programme, where access to clean water is limited to a bucket per household per day and where loadshedding lasts for days.
She said this is what a failed State looked like citing examples like South Sudan, Yemen and Syria.
“We were very close to this, but this man, our father one of the few honest souls that saved its people and our beautiful country from the brink of collapse.”
Anisha spoke about her childhood watching her parents who worked towards the liberation of the country.
She recalled her father being detained at the age of six and recalled how she had called the police station to ask the police to release her father.
Anisha thanked the President Cyril Ramaphosa for being a brother to her father.
Priyesha told the crowds that while her father held many positions to her he was just her dad, who rubbed her head for many hours to alleviate her migraines.
She gave the crowds a personal insight into their family life.
“(He) was the dad who was at every awards ceremony and special events no matter what public engagements he had. He was the best father I could have ever hoped or wished for.”
She said her father loved comedy movies and supported Liverpool.
Priyesha said it was an honour to be his daughter.
IOL News