President Zuma's remarks ahead of the Budget are unwise

22 February 2015

With 48 hours to go before the most important budget in more than twenty years, it was extremely unwise for President Jacob Zuma to try and defend his appointment of Des van Rooyen as Finance Minister in 2015.

The president today reportedly defended his appointment of Des van Rooyen as Finance Minister claiming, "he’s a trained finance and economic comrade, more qualified than any Minister I have ever appointed there, in the finance issue.” 

The statement not only undermines the Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, by suggesting that he is second best, but is likely to make his job more difficult by undermining investor confidence ahead of the tabling of the budget on 24 February 2016 in Parliament.

Statement issued by David Maynier MP, DA Shadow Minister of Finance, 22 February 2016