Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe opposed the removal of Pravin Gordhan as finance minister at a tense meeting of the ANC top six officials held before Thursday’s late-night Cabinet reshuffle.
While the two did not object to the reshuffle in principle, or to President Jacob Zuma’s right to do it, the manner in which Gordhan and his deputy, Mcebisi Jonas, were removed — on the basis of a spurious “intelligence report” — was the reason for their objections.
Business Day on Friday morning reliably learnt that ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize was also opposed to the reshuffle.
Despite his opposition to Gordhan’s axing, Ramaphosa has made no indication that he will resign, and he and his backers appear to continue to believe that, at present, he is more effective in the Cabinet than out.
Ramaphosa is said to have rejected in the strongest terms Zuma’s axing of Gordhan. Both he and ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe expressed their disagreement, in particular, because of the manner in which it was done, said insiders with knowledge of the meeting.
Zuma again used the spurious “intelligence report” as the grounds, which makes outlandish claims that Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas were involved in a plot to turn foreign banks against Zuma.
Mantashe, speaking on Power FM in the early hours of Friday, said the top 6 officials had been informed rather than consulted on the changes to the Cabinet.
In the past ANC presidents have taken the views of fellow officials on board.
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