Jonas acted honourably: ANC
Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas did the honourable thing by making public that the Gupta family offered him the job of finance minister shortly before the Nlhanhla Nene debacle, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said on Sunday.
"You don't discipline people when they do the honourable thing," Mantashe told reporters at a briefing about the national executive committee meeting of the ANC at the weekend.
"You don't discipline people... for saying there is a problem here."
He was responding to reports that Jonas would lose his job in a cabinet reshuffle next week.
The deputy minister announced on SABC television last week that the Gupta family - said to have close ties with President Jacob Zuma - offered him the job of finance minister last year.
This was shortly before Nene was removed from his position unexpectedly, and replaced by backbencher Des van Rooyen, causing the rand to tumble and business people and opposition parties warning of disastrous consequences.
"You don't discipline people... for saying there is a problem here."
He was responding to reports that Jonas would lose his job in a cabinet reshuffle next week.
The deputy minister announced on SABC television last week that the Gupta family - said to have close ties with President Jacob Zuma - offered him the job of finance minister last year.
This was shortly before Nene was removed from his position unexpectedly, and replaced by backbencher Des van Rooyen, causing the rand to tumble and business people and opposition parties warning of disastrous consequences.
Van Rooyen lasted only a few days in the job before being replaced by the respected Pravin Gordhan, becoming finance minister for a second time in his career.
(Photo: file)