He also once again warned against promoting radical economic transformation, for the benefit of a select few.
Gordhan delivered an address at the University of Johannesburg’s leadership seminar in Auckland Park yesterday.
He challenged people to establish what state capture meant and who its beneficiaries were.
“Let us all talk about connecting the dots. What does that (state capture) refer to, where is the money going and what are ordinary people deprived of?” he said.
Gordhan said people needed to understand the damage state capture was causing.
“We have a growing number of people who find themselves in despair. They are not beneficiaries of the kind of economic advances that are currently taking place,” he said.
“There was greater inequality now than we have ever seen in the past two decades. Inequality should be at the centre of policy-making,” said Gordhan.