South Africa
The Secretary General of the African National Congress (ANC) has deplored President Jacob Zuma’s decision to sack finance minister Pravin Gordhan. The criticism points to the internal wranglings which have fractured the ruling party in South Africa.
Zuma announced his new cabinet on Thursday night marked by the dismissal of Gordhan, with whom he is having an open conflict. Reacting on radio after the reshuffle, the Secretary General of the ANC, Gwede Mantashe said for the first time top ANC officials could not accept or agree on the changes saying the process has made him nervous and uncomfortable.
For several months now Jacob Zuma, mired in a litany of corruption scandals, has been at daggers drawn with Pravin Gordhan, very respected by investors for his good management of public funds.
In power since the official end of apartheid in 1994, the power tussle within the ANC is reaching the peak at the time when Zuma is expected to quit as head of the ANC next December in preparation for the 2019 general elections.
Zuma supports the candidacy of his ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma while Gordhan supports the candidacy of Cyril Ramaphoasa, vice president of the ANC.
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