Top dogs side with president

President Jacob Zuma sacked former finance minister Pravin Gordhan because their relationship had irretrievably broken down, the African National Congress said yesterday.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said the ANC national working committee (NWC) accepted Zuma’s reason of the breakdown in relationship as the reason why he reshuffled the Cabinet. The intelligence report on which Zuma reportedly based his decision initially “complicated matters”, he said.

“The NWC accepted the irretrievable breakdown of the relationship between the president and a member of his Cabinet as sufficient explanation for the decision taken by the president,” said Mantashe.

“The issue of the intelligence report complicated the matter, creating a lot of unhappiness. This was consequently presented as the only reason for his removal which was unfortunate and incorrect.”

Since the midnight reshuffle last week, in which Gordhan and other ministers were sacked, there have been growing calls for Zuma to step down.

However, Zuma emerged victorious from the Tuesday night NWC meeting with a firm grip on power.

The NWC said the “unfortunate events” that transpired following the appointment of new ministers should not “detract from the fact that they, individually and collectively, are very capable comrades who have invaluable skills and experience to offer government”.

“We have no doubt they will work with integrity, dedication and humility to serve our people. The ANC wishes them well in their new roles and calls on South Africans to rally behind and support them in their quest to move our country forward,” Mantashe said.

The meeting also discussed the lack of consultation by Zuma regarding the highly criticised reshuffle. Although it was Zuma’s prerogative to hire and fire ministers, there were shortcomings in the consultations, said Mantashe.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Mantashe went public and condemned the reshuffle, and said publicly that the list was developed outside the ANC. Ramaphosa went on to state that Zuma presented the top ANC officials with a “ready made” list.

ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize also objected to the manner in which the reshuffle was exercised.

Mantashe said the NWC agreed that top officials criticising the ANC and Zuma in public “should not happen again”. – ANA

The issue of the intelligence report complicated the matter, creating a lot of unhappiness.

Gwede Mantashe ANC secretary-general