Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2008. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
 |
Voice of America - September 23, 2008
Delia Robertson
Johannesburg
Eleven key cabinet ministers and three deputies have resigned and will leave their posts along with President Thabo Mbeki Thursday. However, as VOA's Delia Robertson reports from our Johannesburg bureau, the Finance Minister says he will be available to the incoming president if he chooses.
The news of the resignations came as a great shock to South Africans already anxious following the resignation of Mr. Mbeki and was immediately felt in the market. The currency lost 18 points against the dollar but rallied slightly when it was revealed that Finance Minister Trevor Manuel is willing to continue in his post.
Manuel's spokesperson, Thoraya Pandy, told national radio Minister Manuel has no desire to impose himself on the incoming president.
"It also provides space and opportunity for the new president to choose whichever ministers he wants in cabinet," she said. "And the minister therefore provides that space to say that you are not duty bound to keep me on as your minister of finance, but I am willing to serve if that is what you are asking of me."
Pandy says that the deputy finance minister is also available for re-appointment.
One economist suggested the Manuel may also have been concerned about the economic direction the new administration would take and that by resigning he had put himself in a position to stipulate the conditions of his return to cabinet.
University of Johannesburg political analyst Adam Habib tells VOA that up until yesterday it appeared as though both factions in the ANC had agreed to a smooth transition. Now he says, it seems clear that despite the reassuring statements from the ministers, something serious has happened to upset Mr. Mbeki's supporters.
"Well the big question is this, how come on Saturday afternoon when [Finance Minister Trevor Manuel] was approached and prevailed upon to stay, he had agreed to do that," said Habib. "Clearly something has changed in the last 24 hours, if we sift through the diplomatic speak something has happened that has antagonized such a large lay of people."
Some commentators say that the tone of a press conference addressed by ANC president Jacob Zuma on Monday may have offended some in the cabinet. South Africans were left confused following the press conference in which Zuma failed to offer certainty to the country on a number of issues, and some analysts described his attitude as flippant and lacking in leadership.
Among those leaving is Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who spearheaded a turnaround in government HIV/AIDS policies and forged a partnership between government and AIDS organizations to implement it.
Other ministers who have resigned include Defense Minister Mosioua Lekota, Public Service Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Sydney Mufamadi, Minister of Provincial and Local Government and Minister of Public Enterprises, Alex Erwin. All are experienced ministers who run key departments in government.
In a hastily arranged press conference in response to the resignations, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said the party did not ask any minister to leave and hoped they would stay on.
080923
VA080912
Copyright © 2008 - Voice of America. You are welcome to use any material that is published by voanews.com, or you may link to any of the web pages that Voice of America has published on the internet. There is no need to request further permission. Should you wish to establish a link to any VOA web pages, please send your request to pubaff@ibb.gov. We would appreciate that credit for any use of VOA material be given to voanews.com, Voice of America, or VOA, and we ask that you not abridge or edit any VOA material which you may use.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Gill Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Quest Diagnostics, Roche and Trimeris, and donations from users like you.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. This article first appeared in 2008. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2008. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .