Gauteng ANC backs Gordhan

THE ANC in Gauteng has come out guns blazing in support of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan. Any moves to remove him from his crucial position would amount to scapegoating, it said, commending him for his “sterling work” in National Treasury.

This as speculation intensified that Gordhan might be replaced by former Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe after Parliament announced Molefe would be sworn in as ANC MP today or tomorrow.

ANC structures in the North West have revolted against Molefe’s nomination.

An ANC MP said yesterday it would not be an easy process to get Molefe sworn in. His arrival brought much uncertainty.

ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu had earlier not said where Molefe would be deployed in Parliament.

The ANC in Gauteng also admitted that factionalism had “ravaged” the organisation and called for unity. ANC chief whip in the Gauteng provincial legislature, Brian Hlongwa, made the remarks yesterday following a caucus lekgotla in the capital city.

On Friday, the ANC Youth League accused the Treasury of being a stumbling block to the radical economic transformation agenda, saying under Gordhan’s watch the institution continued to protect white monopoly capital.

Gordhan, widely respected by the markets, is reportedly having a tough time with cabinet colleagues who criticised him for cutting back on their budget allocations.

Yesterday Hlongwa, who sits on the ANC provincial executive committee, said they did not agree with the youth league’s call that Zuma should “redeploy” Gordhan. Allegations that Treasury and by extension, Gordhan, were stifling implementation on radical economic transformation was “creating a scapegoat… he has been doing a sterling job”.