RON DERBY: Gigaba must show he's his own man
Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba's biggest task would be to ensure the Treasury removed itself from the rough and tumble of party politics
It was a move planned by what now seems to have been a very desperate leader of the country, one who to this day still seems unaccountable to his party comrades. Reversing his decision to appoint Van Rooyen in just four days and returning Pravin Gordhan to the seat was bruising. For the same Gordhan wasn't very supportive of his grand plans to purchase the Petronas-owned Engen from the Malaysians and place it in the hands of a now near-bankrupt PetroSA. He was the same guy who was not too keen on a nuclear build that unconstitutionally favoured a Russian bid over all others. The minute Gordhan returned to the Treasury's Pretoria headquarters, there was one certainty: his stay would be a rather eventful one. Not only was he now charged with fending off a ratings downgrade, he had to somehow keep the president in check. On the first count, he succeeded at keeping the wolves at bay - ratings agencies postured but did not take action.
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