The sudden but expected removal by President Zuma of Finance Minister, Nhlanhla Nene, heralds a government that is clearly at odds with itself.
IFP spokesperson on Finance, Ms Sibongile Nkomo, MP, said,” The President’s so-called ‘strategic’ redeployment of Finance Minister Nene does not bode at all well for South Africa. We are already seeing a negative financial market reaction to this redeployment with our rand sliding further against major foreign currencies. This move by the President although shocking, was not totally unexpected as it comes fast in the wake of the Finance Minister’s position taken in respect of current leadership at SAA. This sentiment clearly did not find the requisite ‘presidential’ favour!”
“To further state that the Finance Minister is being moved to a more strategic position is nothing less than farcical, as what can be more strategic and important to a country than its Finance portfolio?”
“In respect of the appointment of Mr David van Rooyen, MP, to the position of Minister of Finance, we would have preferred to have seen him groomed into the position by first holding at least a deputy ministerial position in Finance, but nevertheless wish him well in this very important portfolio,” concluded Nkomo, MP.
