Statement by President Jacob Zuma on the appointment of new Finance Minister

09 December 2015

I would like to announce changes to the Finance portfolio in Cabinet.

I have decided to remove Mr Nhlanhla Nene as Minister of Finance, ahead of his deployment to another strategic position.

Mr Nene has done well since his appointment as Minister of Finance during a difficult economic climate. 

Mr Nene enjoys a lot of respect in the sector locally and abroad, having also served as a Deputy Minister of Finance previously.

I have decided to appoint a Member of Parliament, Mr David Van Rooyen, as the new Minister of Finance. Mr Van Rooyen serves as a Whip of the Standing Committee on Finance and as Whip of the Economic Transformation Cluster.

He is a former Executive Mayor of Merafong Municipality and a former North West provincial chairperson of the South African Local Government Association. 

I wish Mr Van Rooyen all the best in this new appointment.

The new deployment of Mr Nene will be announced in due course.

Statement issued by Bongani Majola, The Presidency, 9 December 2015