President Jacob Zuma’s sacked South Africa’s highly respected Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in a late- night Cabinet reshuffle that threatens to split the country’s ruling alliance.
He’s given control of the purse strings to former Home Affairs minister Malusi Gigaba.
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The value of South Africa’s currency, the rand, tumbled more than three percent, after President Jacob Zuma wielded the axe against Finance Minister Pravin Gordan and nine of his colleagues.
Ten deputy ministers were also sacked.
The include Mcebisi Jonas who turned down a multi-million rand bribe from the Gupta family to do their bidding.
The Guptas were found by then Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to be implicated in an operation to capture Zuma’s government.
Zuma has overridden severe opposition to the reshuffle from the leadership of the ruling African National Congress and its alliance partners the South African Communist Party and the Congress of South African Trade Unions when he gave them notice of his intention.
They maintain Gordan was doing a sterling job controlling government spending and fighting corruption.
Deputy Secretary General of the SACP Solly Mapaile told a press conference yesterday that his five comrades serving in the Zuma Cabinet may quit
The opposition Democratic Alliance has introduced a parliamentary motion of no confidance in Zuma.
The hard left Economic Freedom Fighters has initiated action in the Constitutional Court to get Zuma impeached.