Alliance at odds over Gordhan sacking
SACP second deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila has admitted that President Jacob Zuma informed them on Monday of his intention to fire Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas.
Speaking at a media briefing today, Mapaila said they objected to the intended cabinet reshuffle.
Earlier this week, Zuma instructed Gordhan and Jonas to cancel the National Treasury’s international investment roadshow to the UK and US, and immediately return to the country.
This fuelled speculation that Zuma was ready to wield the axe on the pair, but the funeral service of ANC stalwart Ahmed Kathrada is said to have thrown a spanner in the works, effectively extending the pair’s stay in government.
Today, Mapaila said: “The president informed us of his intention to effect a cabinet reshuffle, replacing both the minister and deputy minister of finance.
“We recorded our objection to the intended reshuffle. However, after the meeting, an unfortunate selective leak to various media houses has distorted the facts, seeking to create a public impression that the SACP is firstly responsible for the leaks, but secondly has agreed to the intention.”
He said because of these leaks, they had decided to hold a press conference. “
That confidentiality has been violated by comrades,” he said.
Further, Mapaila said the constitution accorded Zuma the responsibility to appoint his cabinet.
“The president of the country, however, is a deployee of the ANC and has to implement (the) ANC mandate. The ANC is in an alliance with the SACP, Cosatu and Sanco and therefore has an obligation to consult its alliance partners in exercising political power collectively struggled for,” he said.
The communist party rejected the “emerging paradigm on presidential prerogative devoid of collective oversight”. Zuma has said he did not need to consult when exercising his prerogative to hire and fire ministers.
It emerged yesterday that Zuma was planning to use a so-called intelligence report, alleging that Gordhan and Jonas had gone to the roadshow to rally support of bankers to side with Treasury in its fight against Zuma and his close friends, the Guptas.
“This intelligence report is indeed part of the reasons given why these comrades were brought back from the outside. We still objected, because we feel a matter of this nature could have been handled differently. We objected to the removal of the comrade, and to the reasons given. It’s important that this part is noted,” said Mapaila.
The SACP was “gravely concerned” about the growing abuse of state security organs and their “meddling in the daily political life of the country”.
Mapaila said: “We are aware of a rogue intelligence unit that in our view gathers data illegally, produces false reports and feeds them into the political and public domain to smear comrades.
“We have laid a complaint with the Inspector- General (of Intelligence) and the Minister of Intelligence (David Mahlobo) who thus far have treated our complaint flippantly. In this regard, we have noted a rising apartheid-era style intimidation and harassment of activists, SACP members and other ANC members.”
“We have a responsibility not to allow ourselves to be run by gangsters nor degenerate into a gangster state,” said Mapaila.
He commended Gordhan for running the finance department with “absolute cleanliness”, saying other departments should emulate it.
Gordhan shed a tear when Ahmed Kathrada Foundation director Neeshan Balton asked him to stand at Uncle Kathy’s funeral yesterday, saying: “Irrespective of whether you remain minister in the days or weeks to come, you remain true to the values and principles that Ahmed Kathrada would be proud of.”