ANC heavyweights from KwaZulu-Natal said if there could be more people like Pravin Gordan, life would be better for all of us.

They were speaking to the Independent on Saturday at Gordhan’s funeral at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre in Durban on Thursday. He was cremated at a private family ceremony.

Former police minister Bheki Cele said if he could, his comrade “PG” would have lived forever. Cele said they met in 1980 and believed strongly in non-racialism, working to link the struggles of the Indian and African communities. He made a big contribution to the party’s underground world and worked on logistics.

“We read a lot of books that could not have given us certificates but broadened our minds,” he said.

Cele said Gordhan was well known for using holidays and weekends for underground projects because he said the “police and the system were sleeping” at those times. He said when he came back from exile, they worked together on underground logistics, moving guns and finding resources.

He described his Comrade as a fixer.

“In government, he would be brought in to fix things. He did a good job as a Minister of Finance. I hear people talking about the State-Owned Enterprises but he was brought in when things were already in mortuary. I don’t know why people expected him to do wonders,” said Cele.

KZN’s former premier Sbu Ndebele said they met in 1987 when Ndebele got out of prison. He said Gordhan was not a person who would sit and moan about oppression, but he would say “what can we do about it?”

He said in 1989 he organised for everyone, including Bishop Desmond Tutu, to go to segregated beaches in buses to swim.

“He said ‘this is God’s sea’, we invaded those whites-only beaches and people gained strength,” said Ndebele.

Funeral of former minister Pravin Gordhan at the Durban ICC. Picture: Supplied GCIS

He said the country had lost an activist and a thinker who turned a small issue into a movement.

Former Minister of Health Dr Sibongiseni Dlomo said Gordhan saved the lives of a lot of uMkhonto Wesizwe operatives during apartheid. He said while they were training medical students, they had “comrades come from Swatini and Mozambique who had malaria.

“There was no malaria in Durban and if you went to the hospital you’d have to indicate your travel history, so we had to treat the comrades in a safe house.

“Comrade Pravin was so helpful as a pharmacist with his knowledge, the type of medication to be used and his support. We didn’t know much as students,” he said.

Former ANC KZN deputy chairperson Mike Mabuyakhulu said he had fond memories of Gordhan, particularly during the formation of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the role he played.

He said during those times they were young and Gordhan was able to not only supply written material to captivate communities in townships, but they were also able to use his political incisiveness to provide political tutelage to many underground operatives.

“He has left an indelible mark and we shall forever remember him,” said Mabuyakhulu.