Zuma ‘cementing’ his support in Cabinet with reshuffle, says analyst

In what can be described as a purge of dissenting voices, president Jacob Zuma last night axed a number of ministers and deputy ministers in a major Cabinet reshuffle.

In reaction, political analyst Daniel Silke said the president had cemented his own support in Cabinet.

“Zuma has ultimately done what he has been threatening to do for some time, which is to remove the two obstructionists, as he would see it, in the finance ministry.

“This is the end of Gordhan, and Gigaba’s launch to fame as finance minister,” said Silke.

“Ultimately, the South African Communist Party (SACP) have lived to fight another day. This is a balancing act to keep the alliance together as the SACP were getting itchy feet.”

This strengthened Zuma’s hand and would protect him, Silke said.

“He will feel better about a Cabinet that is aligned with his thinking, and feels better about what he hopes to be compliant ministers, particularity in Gigaba.”

The immediate financial reaction to Zuma’s reshuffle was devastating, with the rand losing around 5% against the dollar, to trade at R13.38. Before news of the Cabinet reshuffle, a dollar cost R12.80.

Earlier, analyst Andre Duvenhage, a professor and research director for sustainable social development at Potchefstroom campus at North West University, said Zuma was using the security cluster to get rid of enemies such as the then finance minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas in order to access the national purse to fund networks who would help him survive politically.

Combined with the long-standing tension between the president and some of his Cabinet ministers and the ANC parliamentary caucus, this could tip the scale against the president, said Duvenhage.

He believed the removal of Zuma through a vote of no confidence was not far off, as ANC parliamentarians could easily vote against him, with the opposition.

Earlier on Thursday, the SACP confirmed that Zuma had informed the party leadership that he intended to fire Gordhan and his deputy, to which the party vehemently objected.

SACP second deputy-general secretary Solly Mapaila said the president told the SACP leadership his recalling of Gordhan and his department’s director-general, Lungisa Fuzile, back to the country from an investor roadshow in London was based on an intelligence report he received that their trip was part of a plot against his government.

Apparently, Zuma believed the minister was central to a plot dubbed Operation Checkmate, devised to overthrow the state, and that his overseas trip was meant to turn foreign investors and bankers against the Zuma administration.

“We objected to them being recalled, as we felt that this matter could have been handled differently.”

Mapaila said the SACP would take “drastic action” should Zuma go ahead with firing Gordhan and Jonas, but he declined to elaborate on what that might entail. As it turned out, the SACP’s Cabinet members, most notably party president Blade Nzimande (minister of higher education) survived. Thulas Nxesi was moved to another portfolio.

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