ANC Treasurer-General says he has reservations about cabinet reshuffle
ANC Treasurer-General Zweli Mkhize says he has reservations about the way in which this week's cabinet reshuffle was done.
President Jacob Zuma fired Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy, Mcebisi Jonas, as well as four other ministers.
Transport Minister Dipuo Petersm Public Service and Administration Minister Ngoako Ramatlodi, Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom and Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson were axed along with Gordhan.
"Unlike previous consultations which take place with senior officials of the ANC during such appointments and changes to the composition of the national executive, the briefing by the President left a distinct impression that the ANC is no longer the centre and thus depriving the leadership collective of its responsibility to advise politically on executive matters," says Mkhize.
According to reports, the ANC Top 6 are divided over Zuma's reshuffling of ministers.
Mkhize, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe reportedly told President Zuma that they did not agree with his intention to fire Gordhan.
Ramaphosa is the only one to publicly admit that he told President Zuma that he is not in agreement.
Mkhize says leadership ordinarily takes collective responsibility for decisions made and as such is comfortable to own all the decisions taken in the interest of the ANC and South Africa.
"This is no way meant to undermine the prerogative of the President of the Republic of South Africa in reshuffling or making changes to his cabinet, which is derived from the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. However it is to ensure that such decisions made can be owned, justified and defended by the leadership collective in the interest of the ANC and the people of South Africa," says Mkhize.
The Treasurer-General says they need to admit that there are several serving ministers whose performance is rather unsatisfactory.
He says these ministers have attracted severe criticism as public representatives against whom appropriate action would be expected.
"The ANC leadership can therefore not justify to be seen to have ignored or not considered these glaring factors in a cabinet reshuffle," says Mkhize.
Mkhize admits that there is a discomfort concerning circumstances of the recall of Gordhan and Jonas from an important international investment promotion tour, the subsequent surfacing of an alleged intelligence report and, as a consequence, the negative public image and possible undesirable effects on the country's economy, all of which the ANC as the ruling party has to take responsibility for.
"The manner in which these events unfolded may have had long undesirable consequences for the ANC and South Africa. Regardless of which individual is responsible for which portfolio, what matters most should always be the interest of the ANC and country above any other narrow interest," says Mkkhize.
He says a need arises for the leadership of the ANC as the ruling party to seriously apply its mind and express a collective view to these developments.
"I must expressly point out that the capability of each of the newly-appointed cadres and the introduction of younger generation of leaders to the national executive is well acknowledged. We wish them well in their new responsibilities!"