New finance minister must be judged on his own merits

It is only fair to take Malusi Gigaba, the latest in a line of President Jacob Zuma’s ministers of finance, at his word and judge him by his record over the opening few weeks.

Gigaba has every right to start his own administration of public funds with a clean slate and it is only just that he has the chance to settle into his new seat around the Cabinet table without being prejudged.

It should also be noted that Gigaba arrives for his new duties taking over from the highly respected Pravin Gordhan, facing at the very least a daunting task in itself without the public acrimony, which is now irrevocably associated with the axing of Gordhan and his deputy, Mcebisi Jonas.

Gigaba also arrives with the stigma of Zuma’s midnight massacre of the previous Cabinet and the taint of massive mismanagement in several areas of the government a proven reality, plus the spectre of state capture now firmly attached to his coat tails.

To misquote the cliched old saying, out of the mouths of babes and Cabinet ministers … you have said it yourself Minister Gigaba … and judged by your own criteria, this eventuality is as certain as a sunrise.

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