Zuma survives ANC NWC meeting
ANC Secretary-General, Gwede Mantashe says the public statements made by him and two other senior members of the party on President Jacob Zuma's cabinet reshuffle were a mistake.
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Mantashe, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and ANC Treasurer-General Zweli Mkhize publicly expressed their unhappiness with Zuma's decision to, in particular sack Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas.
He's been reporting back following the ANC's National Working Committee meeting to discuss the recent events.
The NWC says it accepts, as an explanation for the reshuffle, that the relationships between Zuma and the cabinet members he removed last week had irretrievably broken down.
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Mantashe says national officials acknowledge that they did not manage the cabinet reshuffle well, adding the fact that there was more noise around the axing of Gordhan does not mean the other sacked cabinet ministers are less important.
It's understood that Zuma's decision to fire Gordhan was informed by an intelligence report which claimed that Gordhan was planning to meet with groups during an investor roadshow overseas who are plotting to overthrow the current South African government.
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"The issue of the intelligence report complicated the matter - creating a lot of unhappiness. This was consequently presented as the only reason for his [Gordhan's] removal, which was unfortunate and incorrect," he said.
He says last week's cabinet reshuffle has caused concern.
"What unfolded following the announcement of Cabinet reshuffle by the president have created anxiety and undue confusion as a result of discontent views in particular that of the national of the ANC on the reshuffle," he said.