Gigaba composure right on the money
IT WAS a huge gamble as Zapiro’s cartoon so cleverly portrayed. The “reprogrammed” finance minister was indeed a questionable figure to present this, probably the most crucial Budget presented in Parliament.
Under the Zuma presidency Malusi Gigaba fulfilled roles that attracted accusations of lying under oath and assisting in state capture.
Gigaba was a senior figure in the previous government administration headed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, a leader with a Midas touch who has shown an uncanny ability to turn to gold almost everything he touches.
Everyone had expected that Gigaba, along with a clutch of corrupt and incompe- tent cabinet members, was to receive the chop and that Nhlanhla Nene, possibly even Pravin Gordhan, would deliver the speech. But on the eve of the Budget, it became clear that it would be Gigaba. Ramaphosa was not to be ordered around by the opposition.
Even I, usually an optimist, became worried.
I tuned in at 2pm and Gigaba took the rostrum. The EFF had abdicated; its land “policy” gobbled up. There was some spluttering from the opposition in the form of DA John Steenhuizen, who waved a charge sheet demanding a ruling from the Speaker who would have none of it.
After a few minutes of pointless to-ing and fro-ing, Gigaba commenced amid some heckling as the unruffled minister steered a straight a course, even cracking an odd joke. He threw in short passages of serious but also jocular Zulu that charmed the pants off IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi and evinced rounds of laughter. He took sips of water, saying “cheers”. Nothing seemed to ruffle his composure.
He delivered the 100 minute, 8 800 word, detailed presentation with remarkable aplomb and humour. I had to admit that Gordhan could not have been as effective on several fronts.
It was a prime example of how the quality of a national leader determines his employees’ behaviour and their growth potential. The Zuma paradigm condemned Gigaba to a role of corrupt assistant. Brief contact with Ramaphosa gave him a taste of what he might have been, and he transformed himself. My guess is that he will, hopefully after a legal process, be retained meaningfully in the government.
A sad footnote is the self-immolation of DA leader Mmusi Maimane, who sat immobile throughout the speech. Afterwards, he strode out of Parliament and tried to get the closest TV journalists to interview him but they were busy with another interview. Frustrated, the great leader of the opposition had to cool his heels several minutes before he got his chance to spout his stream of negativity – there was nothing positive in his entire speech. This in the face of the president’s invitation for critical opposition co-operation in the mammoth task ahead.
Hooked on their efforts to bring down Jacob Zuma, the two major parties settled for future irrelevance and left it to minor parties such as the IFP, African Christian Democratic Party, African Independent Congress and even the Freedom Front Plus to deliver critical but constructive opposition. Balt Verhagen Bramley, Joburg
He delivered the Budget with aplomb, humour