eNCA | Mkhize: ANC top five taken aback by cabinet reshuffle
JOHANNESBURG – ANC Treasurer General Zweli Mkhize says the party’s other top five officials were stunned by Tuesday’s cabinet reshuffle.
Mkhize says President Jacob Zuma didn’t take them into his confidence when making the decision.
He says the President merely informed the ANC’s other top officials of his decision to make changes to the executive.
“We were informed and not consulted by this reshuffle earlier this week, it took us by surprise and we were not expecting another cabinet reshuffle. It surprised us,” says Mkhize.
Tensions within the tripartite alliance are high after President Jacob Zuma fired SACP General Secretary Blade Nzimande from his cabinet. Mkhize says the two alliance partners need to hold an urgent meeting.
“Tensions and emotions are high, it’s important that we have an urgent meeting with the SACP. Yes the reshuffle has heightened tensions within the alliance. I think we need to put our personal feelings aside and meet to iron our issues out,” he says.
This is Zuma’s second cabinet reshuffle in five months – and again – some of the governing party’s top brass are saying they were not involved.
Zweli Mkhize, Gwede Mantashe and Cyril Ramaphosa also distanced themselves from the president’s controversial midnight reshuffle in March.
eNCA