By Alec Hogg
It’s time for South Africans to start finding out more about a Zuma loyalist called Sfiso Buthelezi. This low profile economist who was catapulted into Parliament a year ago, is poised to become one of the new guardian of the National Treasury. We should have heard of his appointment as SA’s new Deputy Finance Minister yesterday. But the death of struggle hero and Zuma critic Ahmed Kathrada forced a postponement. President Jacob Zuma might be capable of acting ruthlessly against the living, but the 74 year old is not the type to disrespect the dead.
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My sources tell me after being summonsed back from London, Pravin Gordhan yesterday went straight to the ANC headquarters at Luthuli House. He was duly offered an alternative portfolio as part of Zuma’s “cabinet reshuffle”, which he refused. That obliged Gordhan to resign from cabinet, rather than being fired.
From a practical perspective it is cosmetic. Gordhan is history any way you want to look at it. But having received his resignation makes a world of difference to one with a self-rationalising narcissistic personality. It also spikes the guns of those who would like to use the dismissal as a rallying point.
Gordhan knew for months he was in the crosshairs, but he kept on in the national interest. His valiant fight, however, is now over. And with Zuma having harpooned the biggest fish in the opposition camp, word is he scaled back on other proposed reshuffling. For the moment at least, some of the others earmarked for ejection including Ebrahim Patel, Rob Davies and Blade Nzimande look likely to retain their seats on ANC’s mahogany row.
The likely new Deputy Finance Minister is close to Zuma. They were together on Robben Island where Buthelezi served 8 years until 1991 and completed a B Comm degree while Zuma did his matric. Buthelezi, an economist, completed his honours and masters at UCT. Like Zuma he hails from rural KZN. He served as an advisor when Zuma was KZN Economic Affairs MEC between 1994 and 1999.
Buthelezi is sure to have his critics. He is the man who preceded Popo Molefe as chairman of the Passenger Rail Agency of SA, on whose board he served for a decade – the period when most of the alleged corruption, now before court, took place. On the upside, he was the inaugural chairman, in 1999, of the National Gambling Board, a position which requires an intense probity investigation. Also, he is not another David “Weekend Special” van Rooyen, having served on the Parliamentary Finance Committee for the past year.
Gordhan is a big loss. And having a close Zuma loyalist in Treasury sets any number of alarm bells ringing. But Buthelezi, who looks a bit like a “Nene-Lite” and will surely be given some benefit of the doubt. And at least he is not Brian Molefe.
- (This story was updated after the appointment of Buthelezi as deputy finance Minister – finance minister as our sources had indicated)
