PG calls for mass mobilisation
Former finance minister Pravin Gordhan has repeated his call for mass mobilisation against President Jacob Zuma's cabinet reshuffle.
Axed finance minister, Pravin Gordhan, proved himself the darling of the Ahmed Kathrada memorial in Johannesburg on Saturday, with his self-deprecating humour as well as scathing remarks about the current state of the government and a call to fight corruption within the ANC.
“I am unashamedly encouraging mass mobilisation,” said Gordhan, who this week was axed during a cabinet reshuffle, along with his deputy Mcebisi Jonas and other ministers.
Yet, “this ANC is still our ANC,” declared Gordhan, to the cheers of an overflowing crowd at the city hall.
“We need to get this organisation of ours into a shape that shows we are truly a people's movement.”
Gordhan said the fact that various members of the ANC's top leadership had indicated that they had played no part in the decisions around this week's cabinet reshuffle, indicated a key problem.
“When these people say we don't know where these decisions are made, then there is something to worry about.”
He said South Africans needed to hold the government accountable.
The ANC and democratic government “finds itself at a mini crisis,” suggested Gordhan.
“Who is the problem and what is the problem are very clear.”
South Africans had to fear the “animal” of state capture.
“State capture mustn't become economic sabotage.”
Gordhan also alluded to news channel ANN7, which is connected to the Gupta family, as a “propaganda channel” akin to “Nazi Goebbelism”.
“Strengthen the state, strengthen the ANC and make sure you strengthen our democratic path.”
The memorial service was organised by the Ahmed Kathrada foundation and the SACP. The Gauteng branch of the ANC also joined in after a state memorial was cancelled, with government communications saying it could not agree on the logistics with Kathrada's family.
“Let me say… publically and openly that postponing the official memorial was petty and spiteful,” said Gordhan.
Zuma slammed
Meanwhile, ANC treasurer general, Zweli Mkhize, says the ANC leadership should have been consulted on Zuma's cabinet reshuffle on Thursday evening.
Mkhize said in a statement on Saturday said that while Zuma has the Constitutional right to choose who serves in his Cabinet, he had his reservations.
“Unlike previous consultations which take place with senior officials of the ANC during such appointments and changes to the composition of the national executive, the briefing by the President left a distinct impression that the ANC is no longer the centre and thus depriving the leadership collective of its responsibly to advise politically on executive matters.”
The ANC needs to be able to justify all its leadership decisions as a collective, he said, and previous decisions have ordinarily been handled that way.
He also questioned the rationality of some of the dismissals, given that some members of Zuma's cabinet have been underperforming in their portfolios.
“While there are many outstanding cabinet ministers with integrity and who are performing exceptionally well in their portfolios, however, we need to admit that there are also several serving ministers whose performance is rather unsatisfactory, hence they have attracted severe criticism as public representatives against whom appropriate action would be expected.”
The ANC leadership can therefore not justify to be seen to have ignored or not considered these glaring factors in a cabinet reshuffle, he said.
He also said there was a discomfort concerning the circumstances around the recall of Gordhan, from an international roadshow earlier this week.
Mkhize called the so-called “intelligence report” cited as the reason for the recall “dubious at the least”, and bemoaned the negative public image and undesirable effects on the country's economy.
“The manner in which these events unfolded may have had long undesirable consequences for the ANC and South Africa.
“Regardless of which individual is responsible for which portfolio, what matters most should always be the interest of the ANC and country above any other narrow interest.”
He said the ANC leadership now needed to “seriously apply its mind” and express a collective view to these developments.
Mkhize though congratulated the new cabinet ministers, and the “introduction of younger generation of leaders to the national executive is well acknowledged”.
He wished them well in pursuing radical socio-economic transformation.
NEWS24
“I am unashamedly encouraging mass mobilisation,” said Gordhan, who this week was axed during a cabinet reshuffle, along with his deputy Mcebisi Jonas and other ministers.
Yet, “this ANC is still our ANC,” declared Gordhan, to the cheers of an overflowing crowd at the city hall.
“We need to get this organisation of ours into a shape that shows we are truly a people's movement.”
Gordhan said the fact that various members of the ANC's top leadership had indicated that they had played no part in the decisions around this week's cabinet reshuffle, indicated a key problem.
“When these people say we don't know where these decisions are made, then there is something to worry about.”
He said South Africans needed to hold the government accountable.
The ANC and democratic government “finds itself at a mini crisis,” suggested Gordhan.
“Who is the problem and what is the problem are very clear.”
South Africans had to fear the “animal” of state capture.
“State capture mustn't become economic sabotage.”
Gordhan also alluded to news channel ANN7, which is connected to the Gupta family, as a “propaganda channel” akin to “Nazi Goebbelism”.
“Strengthen the state, strengthen the ANC and make sure you strengthen our democratic path.”
The memorial service was organised by the Ahmed Kathrada foundation and the SACP. The Gauteng branch of the ANC also joined in after a state memorial was cancelled, with government communications saying it could not agree on the logistics with Kathrada's family.
“Let me say… publically and openly that postponing the official memorial was petty and spiteful,” said Gordhan.
Zuma slammed
Meanwhile, ANC treasurer general, Zweli Mkhize, says the ANC leadership should have been consulted on Zuma's cabinet reshuffle on Thursday evening.
Mkhize said in a statement on Saturday said that while Zuma has the Constitutional right to choose who serves in his Cabinet, he had his reservations.
“Unlike previous consultations which take place with senior officials of the ANC during such appointments and changes to the composition of the national executive, the briefing by the President left a distinct impression that the ANC is no longer the centre and thus depriving the leadership collective of its responsibly to advise politically on executive matters.”
The ANC needs to be able to justify all its leadership decisions as a collective, he said, and previous decisions have ordinarily been handled that way.
He also questioned the rationality of some of the dismissals, given that some members of Zuma's cabinet have been underperforming in their portfolios.
“While there are many outstanding cabinet ministers with integrity and who are performing exceptionally well in their portfolios, however, we need to admit that there are also several serving ministers whose performance is rather unsatisfactory, hence they have attracted severe criticism as public representatives against whom appropriate action would be expected.”
The ANC leadership can therefore not justify to be seen to have ignored or not considered these glaring factors in a cabinet reshuffle, he said.
He also said there was a discomfort concerning the circumstances around the recall of Gordhan, from an international roadshow earlier this week.
Mkhize called the so-called “intelligence report” cited as the reason for the recall “dubious at the least”, and bemoaned the negative public image and undesirable effects on the country's economy.
“The manner in which these events unfolded may have had long undesirable consequences for the ANC and South Africa.
“Regardless of which individual is responsible for which portfolio, what matters most should always be the interest of the ANC and country above any other narrow interest.”
He said the ANC leadership now needed to “seriously apply its mind” and express a collective view to these developments.
Mkhize though congratulated the new cabinet ministers, and the “introduction of younger generation of leaders to the national executive is well acknowledged”.
He wished them well in pursuing radical socio-economic transformation.
NEWS24
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article