Zuma lied about firing Gordhan – SACP man
SACP deputy secretary-general Solly Mapaila has submitted an affidavit to the inspector-general of intelligence‚ accusing President Jacob Zuma of lying about why he fired finance minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy‚ Mcebisi Jonas.
Zuma reshuffled his cabinet at the end of March‚ booting out Gordhan and Jonas.
An official Presidency statement at the time said the move had been prompted by a need for renewal.
But Mapaila said Zuma had told SACP and ANC officials he had based the decision on an intelligence report.
“I’ve noticed many lies by the president,” he said.
“That is why I can confirm now [in] public‚ for the first time‚ I have deposed an affidavit against the president with the inspector-general of intelligence‚ because he had gone to court to [deny] the fact that when he was removing Gordhan and Jonas that he used the intelligence report – and he had briefed us [on] that.
“And I couldn’t understand . . . how could he tell us the truth and lie to the public?” Mapaila said on Sunday night in a panel discussion broadcast on TV news channel eNCA.
It was not clear whether Mapaila’s affidavit forms part of an investigation into the intelligence report.
Both the SACP and the DA have reported the matter to the inspectorgeneral.
“I had to take that step because I felt it was important that we must bring him to the commitment of our movement.
“[It] has always been a truthful movement‚” Mapaila said.
“That is why the national executive must have the courage to take the president to task.
“[They must look] into the primary principles of our movement and‚ I can tell you‚ President Zuma will fail each and every one. “That is what we call corruption.” From the word go‚ the SACP and senior ANC leaders have disputed Zuma’s version of why he overhauled his cabinet.
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa have spoken publicly about the intelligence report‚ which apparently accused Gordhan of being part of a conspiracy to overthrow the South African government.