I lose sleep over attempts to remove Gordhan – Sipho Pityana

15 September 2016

Johannesburg – Alleged attempts to remove Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan from office have left AngloGold Ashanti chairperson Sipho Pityana feeling jittery.

“I lose sleep about attempts to remove Minister Pravin Gordhan, because I have suspicions of ulterior motives,” he told News24 in Johannesburg on Thursday.

If people did not speak out against the current crop of leaders in the country, things would quickly take a turn for the worse.

“I fear that if you don’t have a credible leader leading the Treasury, then you stand the chance of having the finances and resources of the country run over, and in a very short space of time we would be a very different country.”

The struggle veteran said some of Zuma’s previous decision gave enough cause for concern. Zuma’s decision in December last year to replace Nhlanhle Nene as finance minister with David van Rooyen had left him “very worried”.

There was a general tone of concern in the country. Many people have privately expressed concern about where South Africa is heading, he said.

Pityana recently criticised the Black Business Council for publicly endorsing Zuma. It was a betrayal of the country, he said.

Speaking at the funeral service for former sports minister Makhenkesi Stofile on August 25, Pityana said Zuma has shown “contempt and disdain” for the constitution.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.