Gordhan goes with grace
HE ‘DIDN’T APPLY’: PRAVIN RUBBISHES ALLEGATIONS OF CONSPIRACY
He’ll meet with new finance minister on Monday to show him the ropes.
Axed finance minister Pravin Gordhan gracefully bowed out following the reshuffle of Cabinet that left South Africans shocked yesterday morning.
Walking into the Treasury at Church Square in Pretoria, the adored former minister was greeted by a standing ovation from staff members who had gathered to say their last goodbyes.
Gordhan was sacked alongside his deputy, Mcebisi Jonas, when President Jacob Zuma reshuffled the Cabinet yesterday morning. Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba would be heading the finance department instead.
But Gordhan said he did not take the dismissal personally, reminding the sombre staff that he had not applied for the finance minister position.
“I was asked as part of national service to take this job. The first thing I asked the president was ‘why me?’. I was enjoying getting the back-to-basics campaign going in Cogta (Cooperative Governance Traditional Affairs) and working with municipalities. That has been my passion for a long time,” he said.
Earlier this week, the presidency had prompted Gordhan to cancel the remainder of his London roadshow tip, which was to secure investors, urgently recalling him to return to the country.
It was believed Zuma would sack Gordhan based on an intelligence report, which alleged the fi- nance minister was conspiring to undermine the government and economy.
But Gordhan rubbished the “sickening” allegations of the “mysterious report”, saying it was “absolute nonsense”.
“There is an allegation circulating that sickens me. It is allegations that I had a secret meeting with somebody, or -bodies, with the intention to undermine this government. People like us, from a young age, have been activists in the struggle. Why on earth would we want to undermine the government? They come up with the strangest things. “Let me say categorically and emphatically, there was no such meeting. If people don’t want us to do this job, they should say they don’t want us to.” While tossing jokes to a humbled crowd, Gordhan turned his attention to Gupta-owned television station ANN7, asking if any representative was present for a “special slot”. “We are going to give them a special slot for a question because they have a lot to say with their so-called independent analysts. They have a lot to say when they want to attack us and try to disgrace us. So where is ANN7? Any questions?”
He turned to Jonas to commend him for speaking up on being offered a bag of cash by the Guptas to become finance minister.
“One thing we should emphasise is that our souls are not for sale. We should make it clear to South Africans that our country is not for sale.”
Alongside Jonas, Gordhan said he offered to meet with Gigaba on Monday to take him through the key issues which have to be dealt with once he takes office.
“Whatever has happened doesn’t mean we won’t be professional in our conduct.”
Our souls are not for sale