Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has been removed, with reports that numerous other members of Cabinet have gone with him.
It’s understood that President Jacob Zuma used unconfirmed reports that he and others were plotting regime change in the UK and US to overthrow the president as his pretext for this power play.
Economists have said South Africa is now almost certainly going to be downgraded by credit ratings agencies.
There will be confirmation from government at midnight on who has been fired.
Twitter has been in a frenzy. Take a look at some of the many reactions below:
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