Gordhan’s future not part of Cabinet meeting agenda: presidency

The future of finance minister Pravin Gordhan was not on the agenda at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday‚ a presidential aide said on Thursday.

Chief operations officer of the presidency Lakela Kaunda said such discussions wouldn’t happen in cabinet meetings anyway.

“For the record‚ Cabinet does not discuss the appointment or removals of Ministers and Deputy Ministers. It is the highest decision making structure of government which discusses government business‚ just in case some of compatriots believed journos who may have said yesterday’s meeting was called to discuss the so-called reshuffle‚” Kaunda wrote on her Facebook page.

She insisted that Wednesday’s meeting was a routine fortnightly gathering.

• Zuma's plan revealed: SACP, three of ANC’s top six reject No 1’s scheme to replace Gordhan with MolefePresident Jacob Zuma's plan to boot out Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, based on what is claimed to be a damning intelligence report, and replace him with former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe, was rejected by the SACP and half of the top six ANC officials. 

“It was just postponed to start in the afternoon because of the funeral of Mr Ahmed Kathrada. Cabinet meets on Wednesdays fortnightly‚” she said.

The agenda of Wednesday’s meeting is due to be revealed at a post-cabinet briefing later on Thursday.

Speculation has been rife that Gordhan is serving his last days in his position after President Jacob Zuma instructed him and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas to back out of an international investor roadshow earlier this week.

• BREAKING: Zuma to justify Gordhan axing with intelligence report - sourcesPresident Jacob Zuma believes his finance minister Pravin Gordhan went to London to meet with individuals wanting to overthrow the state‚ sources say.  

TimesLIVE has learnt that Zuma’s plans to axe Gordhan are based on what is claimed to be a damning intelligence report‚ which contains allegations that Gordhan and Jonas had scheduled meetings with people who wanted to overthrow the government.

Zuma is believed to be under pressure from his camp to remove Gordhan to show that he is still in charge and to prove he is serious about fighting “white monopoly capital”.