The rand a small matter for Zuma

I FEEL sorry for Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, not because he’s an Indian like me, but because he’s in the company of “thieves and looters” – not my words but those of Sipho Pityana, who lambasted President Jacob Zuma at Makhenkesi Stofile’s funeral.

I am wary of politicians and priests usurping funerals to advance their own agendas. But, in this case, I have no objection.

We are fortunate to have a man like Gordhan in the ANC who is doing his utmost to avoid a ratings downgrade. But he’s up against the president and his cronies who cannot care less if they derail the economy as long as their own interests are on track.

Zuma’s concern is consolidating his hegemony with an elitest group of trusted comrades. And Pravin Gordhan is not one of them. He is a thorn in his flesh.

Gordhan is in a predicament, and is probably having sleepless nights mulling over his future.

Should he go or stay? Country first, or his own welfare? Should he turn tail and walk away, or would it be wiser and nobler to fight to the bitter end against the rot in the ANC and clear his name?

But what if the Hawks do have incriminating evidence against him and Zuma fires him? All his hard work would be reduced to nothing, his good name dragged through the gutter and the rand would plunge into depths never seen before.

Zuma was forced to bring Gordhan back to the Treasury to steady the markets after the Nenegate turmoil. But it’s pretty obvious Gordhan is not a Zuma man. He does not fit into the president’s scheme of things and is not one of his band of “thieves and looters”.

He’s too honest and has, moreover, been annoyingly critical of the corrupt Zuma administration. But why soil his hands?

Let the Hawks dig up some dirt against the finance minister and charge him for some unlawful activity while he was Sars commissioner. Then Zuma can replace him with one of his acolytes.

It’s almost certain the Hawks have a hidden agenda against Pravin Gordhan and are not acting on their own. The rand and the economy?

That’s a small matter in Zuma’s world. T MARKANDAN

Silverglen