ANC throws full weight behind Zuma’s actions
AFTER a turbulent week that saw President Jacob Zuma change finance ministers twice in four days, sending the rand into a tailspin, he has received the full backing of the ANC following a National Working Committee (NWC) meeting.
The ANC’s National Executive was joined, uncharacteristically, by Cosatu, the SACP, the youth and women’s leagues and the leaders of the party’s provincial structures in Monday’s meeting.
Yesterday, the ANC held a media briefing in which it showed its support for the party president and head of state.
Cosatu leader Sdumo Dlamini also confirmed Cosatu’s backing of Zuma’s actions over the last few weeks, a turnaround from the critical position the trade union federation held a few days ago at the height of public outrage over David van Rooyen’s appointment as finance minister.
The NWC also revealed national officials were briefed nearly six weeks ago about Zuma’s intention to remove former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene from his position and replace him with Van Rooyen.
ANC deputy secretary general Jesse Duarte said they were concerned at the time about the possible impact of Van Rooyen’s appointment, but had underestimated the “enormity” of such a move.
“Whenever a finance minister is appointed there is always an impact on the rand and that has been like that since 1994. Obviously when the name of Des van Rooyen was mentioned, we thought there would be an impact. He is young, we thought there would be questions asked.
“What we didn’t anticipate is the enormity of that impact. It’s not that we didn’t sit down and think it through. What is important is that the change has been made and that action has been taken to rectify what we believe caused the bloodbath,” she said.
In perhaps one of the strongest indications of the political power Zuma wields within the ANC, he managed to pull off the appointment of Van Rooyen despite these concerns raised by the party’s top brass, fuelling questions about the level of consultation with them and the party’s deployment committee on cabinet and state appointments.
“The president took a decision to appoint and remove ministers, as he is constitutionally mandated. But after listening to all concerns that have been raised, he took the decision himself to now appoint minister (Pravin) Gordhan. I don’t think we should create an impression that the proposal was given to him,” said ANC policy head Jeff Radebe.
The deployment committee is chaired by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Among those who made “representations” to Zuma, according to Radebe, were ABSA chief executive Maria Ramos, Goldman Sachs managing director Colin Coleman, Investec chief executive Stephen Koseff and Imperial chief executive Mark Lamberti.
The ANC also explained it still took local government seriously despite appointing a relatively inexperienced Van Rooyen to the portfolio.
Van Rooyen was unceremoniously removed from Merafong municipality, which includes Khutsong, where his house was burnt down by the community at the height of violent protests over municipal demarcations which saw the area incorporated into the North West. The decision was later rescinded.