ANC PAIR HIT BACK AT ZUMA

Gordhan’s axing ‘totally unacceptable’

WHILE President Jacob Zuma went about cackling as though it was business as usual after his shocking Cabinet reshuffle on Thursday night, there was an immediate and vociferous backlash from senior leaders of the ANC – including Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Gwede Mantashe.

Zuma was in Dyifani Village Mbizana yesterday morning, to open a “RED Hub” with Eastern Cape Rural Department and Agrarian Reform MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane (Report on Page 9).

Most shocking about the reshuffle was Zuma’s unpopular decision to fire Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy, Mcebisi Jonas.

Ramaphosa described the decision to fire the pair as “totally unacceptable” as it was based on an intelligence report which made “spurious allegations”.

Zuma recalled Gordhan from an international trip on Monday, and the media reported that this was after the President had received an intelligence report claiming that Gordhan undertook the London trip to mobilise financial markets against his rule.

“That I find totally, totally unacceptable. That a person who has served our country with much distinction would do something like that,” said Ramaphosa in defence of Gordhan.

He said he raised his concerns during the meeting between Zuma and other ANC top five officials on Monday, where the president informed them about the plan to fire the two.

“I told the president so that I would not agree with him on his reasoning to remove the minister of finance. And told him that this I would articulate publicly,” Ramaphosa added.

In addition to Jonas, Zuma also fired tourism minister Derek Hanekom, transport minister Dipuo Peters, energy minister Tina Joemat-Petterson and public service and administration minister Ngoako Ramatlodi.

The other fired deputy minister was arts and culture’s Rejoice Mabudafhasi. The deputy ministry position at Trade and Industry, which has since been filled, was left vacant by the resignation of Mzwandile Masina who became the mayor of Ekurhuleni. (See Page 4 for list)

While Gordhan and Jonas always knew that they were not in Zuma’s good books, their axing still came as a surprise to them.

The pair were planning to hold a national roadshow next where they would engage not only investors, but also ordinary South Africans on the intricacies of the economy and also unpack the national budget, tabled by Gordhan in February.

The chopping and changing of so many ministers and deputy ministers came as a shock to several ANC leaders