JOHANNESBURG: South African High Court has ordered President Jacob Zuma to present with reasons for his decision to fire finance minister Pravin Gordhan in a cabinet reshuffle, leading to sovereign debt downgrades. The court application was filed by Opposition party Democratic Alliance, which also called for a no-confidence motion against Zuma in the Parliament.
“We got the order that we wanted with some very minor adaptations and it allows us now to go ahead with the main review application into the rationality of dropping Gordhan from the cabinet,” said DA lawmaker and head of executive, James Selfe. Several Opposition members and members within Zuma's cabinet, including Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, said that Gordhan was removed on the basis of a “spurious” intelligence report. It accused Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas of plotting with banks in London to undermine the South African economy. The deputy was fired too.
“We expect that document to be part of the record,” said Selfe. While Ramaphosa usually backed Zuma, his recent criticism of the sacking was a peak into the widening differences in the ruling African National Congress.
In a bid to reassure markets, Zuma has said that he expected the addition of several younger ministers would add energy to his cabinet. He has so far not given any specific reasons for removing Gordhan and replacing him with new Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba.
