Zuma’s reshuffle move will deepen crisis, say analysts
‘Factions will be at each others’ throats’
RENOWNED political analysts yesterday described President Jacob Zuma’s move to reshuffle his Cabinet, including removal of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan as “tragic”, saying the move would further “deepen the crisis and divisions” in South Africa.
Analysts told Saturday Dispatch the move would generate a huge “outcry” across the country’s political spectrum.
Political commentator Somadoda Fikeni felt Zuma’s move to recall Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas, “will further deepen divisions” within the ANC and its alliance partners, the SACP and Cosatu.
Fikeni said warring factions in the tripartite alliance will now be “at each others’ throats” ahead of the ANC’s elective conference scheduled for December.
Gordhan has been replaced by former home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba, with Fikeni saying Gigaba “will take strain as all the thorny questions out there, will now be directed to him”.
Fikeni added: “Because ANC has been talking about radical economic transformation, we hope this change will not mean that money will now be used wrongly in order to achieve such transformation agenda”.
After the late-night Cabinet reshuffle, Zuma released a statement saying he had decided to make changes “in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness”. Wits University’s Professor Shadrack Gutto, who described Zuma’s move as both “tragic and shameful”, echoed Fikeni’s sentiments.
“This will deepen crisis not because finance minister and his deputy were removed, but because of the manner in which this was done.
“The country will now not be respected by the international community because of the manner Gordhan was told to cut short an important international engagement with potential investors, who were ready to invest in South Africa,” said Gutto.
He added that Zuma’s move “shows that he does not even respect comrades he had been involved with in the struggle for all these years. Markets will definitely shake”, Gutto said.
Meanwhile action group, Save South Africa founder, Sipho Pityana, accused Zuma of carrying out the reshuffle “on behalf of the controversial Gupta family”.
“The reshuffle announced on behalf of the Gupta family is an outrage and an insult to the suffering of millions of South Africans over many decades.
“It is a brazen attempt to undermine the gains of the liberation struggle by taking power away from the people and handing it over to a clique based in Dubai.
“It is therefore a Gupta coup and final confirmation, for those who needed it, that our president, government and country have been captured by compradors intent on destroying our democracy,” wrote Pityana.
“We cannot submit to this outrage. It is time to fight. The country must use this moment to say this far and no further,” he said while also calling for Zuma to resign.
Addressing media in Johannesburg yesterday, DA leader Mmusi Maimane attacked Zuma calling him an “economically illiterate” president, who lacked the prerequisite skills to understand the effects of reshuffling cabinet at a time where the country’s economy was stagnant. — asandan@