RANJENI MUNUSAMY: Ramaphosa seizes back control of finances with Nene and Gordhan
But late-night shuffle has stirred a hornets' nest in the presidency
In appointing Nhlanhla Nene as minister of Finance and Pravin Gordhan as minister of Public Enterprises, President Cyril Ramaphosa has not only made South Africa’s economic recovery his top priority, he also sought to undo the greatest wrongs committed by his predecessor, Jacob Zuma. The return of Nene and Gordhan to cabinet will be widely welcomed after Zuma unceremoniously ejected them as Finance ministers due to their defiance against state capture.The president will also receive plaudits for firing a number of ministers who were appalling at their jobs and collaborated with the Guptas to loot the state. They are Lynne Brown, Faith Muthambi, Des van Rooyen and Mosebenzi Zwane. Zuma’s chief henchman, David Mahlobo, also got the chop, as did the man who replaced him as State Security minister last year, Bongani Bongo. Hlengiwe Mkhize and Joe Maswanganyi were also dropped. The most high-profile eviction from cabinet, possibly because he announced it himself, was Fikile Mbalula, who ...
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