Siphiwe Nyanda nominated as ambassador to Mozambique
● Former South African National Defence Force chief and minister of communications Siphiwe Nyanda has been nominated as ambassador to Mozambique.
The Sunday Times has learnt that Nyanda is among the newly appointed diplomats undergoing training in Pretoria before their credentials are submitted for approval to the countries they have been nominated to serve in.
Sources in the department of international relations & co-operation (Dirco) said this week that Nyanda was in a three-month training programme, which is set to come to an end next month.
The Mozambican government will conduct its own vetting of Nyanda before deciding whether or not to accept his credentials.
Nyanda is expected to officially assume his duties in January next year.
He is taking over from former trade & industry minister Mandisi Mpahlwa, who sources say is due to be moved to Rwanda to manage relations between Pretoria and Kigali.
Mozambique is battling an insurgency in its Cabo Delgado province, where Islamist militants have been making territorial gains in the area.
The insurgents, who are affiliated to the international terrorist group Islamic State, are reportedly trying to set up an Islamic state in the region.
Nyanda is among those who were public in their opposition to former president Jacob Zuma, despite having briefly served in his cabinet.
Zuma implied during his appearance last year at the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture that Nyanda had been a spy for the apartheid regime.
Nyanda joined a queue of former officials who sued Zuma for defamation. In Nyanda’s case, he reportedly sought compensation of R800,000 in the Johannesburg high court.
Among other former ministers who threatened legal action for claims made against them by Zuma was former tourism minister Derek Hanekom and former minister of public service & administration Ngaoko Ramatlhodi.
Nyanda told the commission that he was removed as communications minister because of his refusal to meet the Gupta family at the request of Zuma.
“I was in Durban and got called by someone in the presidency to go to Mahlamba Ndlopfu [the official presidential residence in Pretoria]. I told them I was still in Durban and then got another call from president Zuma. He told me that I was being redeployed as ambassador to Germany,” Nyanda said.
“He [Zuma ] told me the officials had redeployed me to Germany, but I couldn’t go and I elected to go to the backbenches of parliament. I tried to see the officials, one knew nothing about this. When I asked for reasons for my removal, president Zuma mumbled something about the SABC."
Dirco spokesperson Clayson Monyela told the Sunday Times this week that he was not able to comment on the appointment. Nyanda also declined to comment.