JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – NOVEMBER 26: COSATU acting general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali during the fourth day of Cosatu’s 12th elective congress on November 26, 2015 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. More than 2,500 delegates are attending the conference to engage on several issues and elect new leadership. (Photo by Gallo Images […]
Read: COSATU labels Gordhan’s recall from UK trip an “embarrassment”
They don’t sound too happy…
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – NOVEMBER 26: COSATU acting general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali during the fourth day of Cosatu’s 12th elective congress on November 26, 2015 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. More than 2,500 delegates are attending the conference to engage on several issues and elect new leadership. (Photo by Gallo Images […]
As South Africans have their attention turned to the Ahmed Kathrada funeral, President Zuma is still firmly at work on his plans to reshuffle his cabinet. Zuma is not attending the funeral after the Kathrada family requested him not to, a move which surely would sting the president.
The tripartite alliance consists of the ANC, South African Communist Party (SACP) and trade union powerhouse COSATU. The alliance has always been an incredibly strong one, the ANC looked to keep their partners happy and the partners generally supported the party’s decisions. Over the last few years however, the alliance has become more and more strained. The SACP has recently been very vocal about their dissatisfaction of Zuma’s decisions. SACP member and Minister of Higher Education has himself implied that ministers will resign if Zuma decides to reshuffle his cabinet.
COSATU has now voiced their own dissatisfaction with proceedings, labelling the way in which Finance Minister Gordhan was called back, “an embarrassment” to the country. Zuma “instructed” Gordhan and his deputy minister to return from a pre-planned work trip where he was meeting with international investors. No reason has been given for his sudden recall. Cosatu general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali spoke to journalists.
“We were shocked to learn in the news that president had decided to rescind the decision for the ministers to go, this has never happened in this way and it raises eyebrows in the way it is done.”
Ntshalinitshali says that if a cabinet reshuffle was incoming, he believed that the president would consult them.
“We think we will be consulted, if it does happen. We will be consulted if it goes that way,”
The general secretary also had some positive things to say about Pravin Gordhan, saying he has been embarrassed on a number of occasions.
“He’s a brave man, stands by his principles. He has been embarrassed on a number of occasions and refused to resign. People are asking what is it that is so urgent. If it’s a recall, why couldn’t it wait just a few days? Gordhan is not doing personal work.”
