Trade union federation Cosatu has labelled finance minister Tito Mboweni “the greatest threat” to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidency.
At the centre of Cosatu's fight with Mboweni are his public statements on state-owned entities, what is said to have been his refusal to follow an ANC mandate, and his supposed "anti-worker" attitude.
Cosatu leaders and affiliates met in Johannesburg this week for a three-day central executive committee meeting at which union leaders lambasted Mboweni for his public posture and statements. They resolved to meet the ANC leadership next week to tell the party to whip him into line ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“He doesn’t act like someone who is there as an ANC deployee and Cyril will pay the price,” said a Cosatu leader who asked not to be named.
Cosatu general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali confirmed that the committee had discussed Mboweni. He said the minister was unable to work within the mandate of the ANC or take instructions from the party.
“We thought that he is almost like a loose cannon. He came when the president made some pronouncement about the economy, including a stimulus package, but he doesn’t speak to those issues. He says whatever he wants to.”
Read the full story in the Sunday Times.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 
