Close X
Sunday, November 24, 2024
ADVT 
International

Indian-Origin Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's Sacking Triggers Civil War In S Africa's Ruling ANC

IANS, 31 Mar, 2017 11:57 AM
    The sacking of South Africa’s respected Indian-origin Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in a Cabinet purge pitched the ruling ANC party into chaos on Friday, creating one of its biggest tests since leading the fight against apartheid.
     
    The country’s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa launched an unprecedented verbal attack on President Jacob Zuma, whose midnight reshuffle sent the rand currency plunging and triggered accusations that he was promoting graft.
     
    Zuma’s axing of Finance Minister Gordhan also unleashed a wave of opposition in the African National Congress, which came to power under Nelson Mandela in the euphoric 1994 elections but has suffered declining support.
     
    Gordhan was widely seen as a competent manager of one of the world’s most important emerging economies.
     
    Ramaphosa went public with his anger, openly attacking his boss.
     
    “I told him that I would not agree with him,” Ramaphosa told reporters.
     
    “There are quite a number of other colleagues and comrades who are unhappy about this situation, particularly the removal of the Minister of Finance who was serving the country with absolute distinction”.
     
    Gordhan was reportedly sacked because of an alleged intelligence report on meetings he held in London earlier this week.
     
    “For him to be removed for this type of reasoning is to me unacceptable,” Ramaphosa said.
     
    Gordhan held a press conference today, saying he heard of his sacking via television and dismissing the intelligence report “as absolute nonsense.”
     
    “We hope more and more South Africans would make it clear that our country is not for sale,” he added.
     
    Zuma made 20 new government appointments in the reshuffle.
     
    “I’m very uncomfortable because areas where ministers do not perform have not been touched,” Gwede Mantashe, the influential ANC Secretary-General, said.
     
    “We can’t be happy (with the decision to sack Gordhan) because we think that the Finance Minister was a hard worker.” Gordhan had been at loggerheads with Zuma for months, receiving support from several ministers and major foreign investors, as well as many ordinary South Africans and veterans of the anti-apartheid struggle.
     
    He campaigned for budget discipline and against corruption, but Zuma’s allies have accused Gordhan of thwarting the president’s desire to enact radical policies to tackle racial inequality.
     
    Mantashe told 702 Radio that Zuma was aware that many in the ANC were “unhappy” about the purge, in which Gordhan was replaced by Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba.
     
    “The President came with a list. (He) said ‘you can comment if you want to comment, but this is my decision,’” Mantashe said.
     
    The ANC, which was banned under white-minority rule, has lost popularity due to corruption allegations, record unemployment and slow economic growth. 

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Indian-Origin US Academics Denounce Donald Trump's Travel Ban

    Indian-Origin US Academics Denounce Donald Trump's Travel Ban
    On January 27, Trump signed an executive order banning citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days, suspending all refugee entry to the US for 120 days, and indefinitely barring entry for Syrian refugees.

    Indian-Origin US Academics Denounce Donald Trump's Travel Ban

    Canadian Filmmaker Rob Stewart Reportedly Found Dead

    Canadian Filmmaker Rob Stewart Reportedly Found Dead
    The Coast Guard says it has been looking for the 37-year-old Stewart since he was reported missing just before 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday.

    Canadian Filmmaker Rob Stewart Reportedly Found Dead

    Toronto Housing Sales Up 12 Per Cent Year-Over-Year In January

    Toronto Housing Sales Up 12 Per Cent Year-Over-Year In January
    TREB reported 5,188 residential sales in the Greater Toronto Area through its MLS System last month, compared to 4,460 sales in January the year before.

    Toronto Housing Sales Up 12 Per Cent Year-Over-Year In January

    Majority Of Americans Want Barack Obama Back As President: Poll

    Majority Of Americans Want Barack Obama Back As President: Poll
    40 per cent of voters already want to impeach Trump. That is up from 35 per cent of voters who wanted to impeach him a week ago, the survey.

    Majority Of Americans Want Barack Obama Back As President: Poll

    Second Funeral For Mosque Victims To Be Held In Quebec City Today

    Second Funeral For Mosque Victims To Be Held In Quebec City Today
    Mourners will gather to pay tribute to Mamadou Tanou Barry, Ibrahima Barry and Azzeddine Soufiane at the Quebec City convention centre.

    Second Funeral For Mosque Victims To Be Held In Quebec City Today

    Judge Wrong To Use Woman's Email To Police In Sex-Assault Conviction

    Judge Wrong To Use Woman's Email To Police In Sex-Assault Conviction
    In ordering a new hearing for Bo Zou, the Court of Appeal found the judge was wrong to view the email sent a day after the incident as confirmation of her account at trial.

    Judge Wrong To Use Woman's Email To Police In Sex-Assault Conviction