SACP confirms Zuma intends to replace Gordhan, Jonas

During a press conference, the SACP confirmed that President Jacob Zuma had told them of his plan to replace the finance minister and his deputy.

Zuma revealed this to the community party in a meeting he held on Monday, the day he recalled Pravin Gordhan and Mcebisi Jonas from an investor roadshow in London.

The full SACP statement below

Meanwhile, new details have emerged relating to President Jacob Zuma’s separate meetings with the SA Communist Party (SACP) and the African National Congress’ (ANC) top six leaders on Monday, where he presented a bizarre intelligence report purporting that Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan allegedly attempted to overthrow him from power.

The Times reported on Thursday that SACP deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila said the party told Zuma during their meeting they did not agree with his plans to remove both Gordhan and his deputy, Mcebisi Jonas, from Cabinet based on the report.

The SACP, which has increasingly grown frustrated with the ruling party under Zuma’s leadership, reportedly also opposed the president’s intention to appoint former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe as Gordhan’s replacement.

Earlier this month, the SACP gave its alliance partner an ultimatum during a meeting with its top six leaders. The party wanted the ANC to revoke the citizenship of the Zuma’s associates, the Guptas, recall Molefe from parliament and fire Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini over her handling of the social grants crisis.

Mapaila told The Times that during their meeting with Zuma on Monday it was agreed that their discussion would be confidential, but that confidentiality was broken when the story was leaked to the media.

He said he spoke out about the details of the meeting to counter an impression that had been created in the media that the SACP supported Gordhan’s ousting from National Treasury.

“If the president wants to act, he must not use us. We hold comrade Pravin and comrade Mcebisi in high regard,” Mapaila was quoted as saying by the paper.

“I believe comrade Pravin and Mcebisi Jonas are good comrades of the movement. I don’t believe these comrades can sell [out] the country. That is my view.”

He also said the SACP asked Zuma to give Gordhan the benefit of doubt and not act on the intelligence report they viewed as compiled by a “rogue” unit.

ANC national leaders who also rejected Molefe becoming the next Treasury chief were secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The top six leaders apparently also called for Dlamini, Mining Minister Mosebenzi Zwane, Communications Minister Faith Muthambi, Water Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane and Des van Rooyen of Cooperative Governance to be axed by Zuma from Cabinet.

It is reported that the intelligence report alleged that Gordhan and Jones were going to use their cancelled international investor roadshow in the UK and US to convince investors to not withhold their capital from South Africa as a means to force Zuma to resign.

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