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S. African ruling party backs Zuma over appointment of finance minister

Xinhua, December 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

The ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Monday threw its weight behid President Jacob Zuma for his decision to appoint Pravin Gordhan, current Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, as finance minister.

Zuma's decision has been occasioned by public concern stressing the need for experience and market assurance on the person who will champion the finance and fiscal policy of the country, the ANC said.

Zuma's decision to appoint Gordhan "is an explicit demonstration of a responsive and accountable government," ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said.

There have been reports that the ANC has itself expressed a lack of confidence in Zuma, and internally pressed him to expose himself for his "reckless and illogical steps" over the past five days, by backtracking and flip-flopping in bringing back Gordhan as finance minister, a position he held in the previous administration between 2009 and 2014.

On Sunday night, Zuma appointed Gordhan to replace David van Rooyen whom Zuma appointed only four days ago after firing Nhlanhla Nene.

The appointment of Van Rooyen, a largely unknown MP, caused jitters at the market, sending the South African rand plummeting to record lows of R16 to the U.S. dollar and the markets falling out.

Explaining his decision to appoint Gordhan as finance minister, Zuma said he had received many representations to reconsider Van Rooyen's appointment.

"As a democratic government, we emphasise the importance of listening to th people and to respond to their views," Zuma said.

The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) on Monday wrote to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete, demanding that the National Assembly debate a motion of no confidence in Zuma at the first sitting opportunity in 2016.

The ANC, the statement said, commends the public for vocal engagement of government on the appointment of the Minister of Finance.

"As an organisation, the ANC values public activism on matters of public interest. Public concern around the appointment of the Finance Minister demonstrated the value our nation has attached to past deployment by President Zuma's administration and an involved, concerned and activist citizenry on the future of our economy," the statement said. Endit