Outgoing Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan
Photo by: Duane Daws
Axed finance minister Pravin Gordhan on Friday paid tribute to ordinary South Africans for their support during his tenure at the helm of National Treasury.
“Thank you very much for being here, and for demonstrating this solidarity. We have had a meeting with the staff of the Treasury and we said thank you to them as well. We shared some thoughts with them,” said Gordhan when he addressed hundreds of Save South Africa activists outside the National Treasury in Pretoria.
“As far as our positions are concerned personally, we saw on TV last night that we lose our titles as of I’m not sure when but sometime now. That is in the hands of those who make such decisions. But it’s been a great privilege to serve South Africa in different capacities over a long period of time.
A seemingly jovial Gordhan, often smiling, was with his deputy Mcebisi Jonas.
The pair lost their jobs on Thursday evening when President Jacob Zuma reshuffled his Cabinet, axing several ministers and shifting others sideways. Gordhan and Mcebisi were cited in an intelligence report that alleged they were plotting against Zuma.
Gordhan said it was critical for South Africans to understand how the National Treasury works.