Jacob Zuma
Photo by: Duane Daws
President Jacob Zuma will have to answer for his decision to sack former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene in Parliament this week.
The president removed Nene from his post in December, replacing him with backbencher David Van Rooyen, who was later redeployed to Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
Pravin Gordhan was then appointed as finance minister.
Zuma will face a tough grilling on Thursday, March 17, from opposition party leaders, who want to know who was involved in the reshuffling process.
According to Parliament's order paper, Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane will ask the president if he consulted anyone regarding the decision to fire Nene and replace him with Van Rooyen and who was involved in the latter's redeployment.
Meanwhile Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema is looking for answers on whether Gordhan, once appointed, sent Zuma verbal or written communication regarding the removal of a "certain person" from a post and why that person, believed to be South African Revenue Service chief Tom Moyane, was not removed.
This week, it was reported that the Guptas had offered the finance minister job to deputy Mcebisi Jonas, who refused it.
The Guptas, close friends of Zuma, have since denied meeting with Jonas and offering him the post.
The Sunday Times reported that Zuma's son Duduzane was present when the Gupta family offered Jonas the job.
The meeting took place at 15:00 at a Sandton hotel on the last Friday of November, the paper reported.
The job, however, would come with conditions, the report said, which included firing people who were opposed to the nuclear deal.
Jonas reportedly turned down the offer, setting in motion the chain of events that culminated in Nene's replacement with Van Rooyen.