Trevor Manuel on the comeback?

Former finance minister Trevor Manuel may be making a comeback, and could return to his old job if a picture on social media is anything to go by.

Manuel was spotted on Thursday morning jogging on the Sea point promeade in Cape Town, alongside president Cyril Ramaphosa.

The picture has fuelled speculation that Ramaphosa might fire Malusi Gigaba as minister of finance and replace him with Trevor Manuel.

EFF leader Julius Malema appears to support this proposition as he called on Ramaphosa to axe Gigaba.

Malema referred to Gigaba as “that crook who illegally granted the Gupta family citizenship” and who “must not be allowed to deliver the budget.”

“In SONA he [Ramaphosa] must announce the removal of minister of finance [Gigaba]. This man can not be trusted and he must not deliver the budget speech this week,” Malema said.

Manuel served as finance minister for 13 years, from 1996 to 2009 until Jacob Zuma appointed Pravin Gordhan as his sucessor.

Manuel has not shied away from criticising Zuma and the ANC leadership in the past, saying the former president is corrupt and incapable of governing South Africa.

“You look around the world today, and it seems to be okay for people to get away with what they can get away with. Start with our own president – he is corrupt and has demonstrated himself incapable of leading this nation,” Manuel was quoted as saying.

From the smile on his face, perhaps Manuel approves of the new ANC leadership, which has brought optimism about the country’s political and economic future,

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