It's an idea that has been floating around in the ANC-alliance for years – that the South African Reserve Bank should be nationalised. As the government ran out of money due to the large scale of corruption in the Zuma years; the Reserve Bank was seen as the honey pot by politicians intent on spending their way out of trouble. In December 2017, the ANC adopted a resolution at its national conference, where Cyril Ramaphosa was elected as leader, to nationalise the Reserve Bank. The Reserve Bank is unique in as it is one of only eight central banks in the world with private shareholders. But ownership is not the issue; the criticism of the Reserve Bank by those who want to nationalise it, centres around its role; it has to keep inflation under control but those opposed to its private ownership want the bank to stimulate economic growth, to support development, to print more money. Standing steadfastly between the Reserve Bank and those who favour its nationalisation, is Finance Minister Tito Mboweni and the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Lesetja Kganyago who know how tinkering with the mandate of the central bank would be viewed by South Africa's skittish foreign investors. Gabriele Steinhauser writes in the Wall Street Journal that a former Goldman Sachs analyst, Michael Dürr, is leading a group of shareholders hoping to cash in on plans to nationalise the Reserve Bank and is believed to have helped drive the idea of nationalisation in the ANC. And Dürr brags:"I play them like a piano sometimes." (Now where have we heard that before, Bell Pottinger?) – Linda van Tilburg

Ex-banker bids to cash in on South African takeover of Central Bank