In less than a week the seat of financial minister in South Africa has changed twice after President Jacob Zuma removed Nhlanhla Nene and replaced him with David van Rooyen. In a surprising turn of events, a statement released late on 13 December by the Presidency, Pres Zuma announced a new minister of finance. The statement noted, “I have received many representations to reconsider my decision. As a democratic government, we emphasise the importance of listening to the people and to respond to their views.
“I have appointed Pravin Gordhan, the current Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs as the new Minister of Finance. Minister Gordhan will return to a portfolio that he had held proficiently during the fourth administration.”
Gordhan previously held the post of finance minister from 2009 to 2014.Van Rooyen was sworn into the ministry on 9 December.
“I have also decided to appoint the current Minister of Finance David van Rooyen as the new Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. Mr van Rooyen, a former executive mayor, will also be bringing to Cogta the finance and economic sector background gained in serving in the Finance Portfolio Committee and Economic Transformation Cluster as whip in National Assembly. He has been mandated to take forward the Back-to-Basics programme and further improve cooperation between the three spheres of government,” the statement concluded.
However, the hash tag ZumaMustStillFall continues to trend on social media with residents planning a mass march to Parliament on 16 December to demand that President Zuma resign.
I'll see you in Cape Town on Wednesday!! #ZumaMustStillFall pic.twitter.com/5wX6gjJZKW
— Marino Sigalas (@MarinoSigalas) December 14, 2015
National Spokesperson for the Congress of the People (Cope) Dennis Bloem said that South Africa cannot afford to have a president who is a ‘walking-talking disaster’.
“Congress of the People has seen President Zuma making one bad appointment after another. The last was his worst and his most irrational and ill-conceived. President Zuma is such a disaster that his remaining in office will continue to impact South Africa very negatively – the effects of which will last for a long time. His recall can no longer be delayed,” Bloem said.
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