Gordhan, Jonas: Our souls are not for sale
Outgoing Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas says the intelligence report used by President Jacob Zuma as justification to fire them is “nonsense”.
The two held a press briefing at the Treasury offices in Pretoria following the cabinet reshuffle by President Jacob Zuma on Thursday.
Gordhan described the report as mysterious.
“This is the so-called intelligence report that says that the two of us and the director-general are involved in this massive conspiracy to undermine the economy of this country. If you read this, this is absolute nonsense. This is not the basis upon which you fire a finance minister and his deputy,” says Gordhan.
The report makes allegations that they were using the investor roadshow in the United Kingdom and the United States to hold secret meetings in order to overthrow Zuma’s government.
Gordhan says this allegation sickens him.
“People like both of us, have from a very young age been activists in this struggle. Why on earth we would want to undermine this country now I don’t think anyone can reasonably and logically explain. Let me say categorically say, there was no such meeting. If anyone wants us to not do this job, tells us not to. Nothing has to be manufactured, in order to create an environment in which our integrity is undermine and we need to be discredited to objectify some objective outside the real intent,” Gordhan says.
Jonas says South Africans need to be aware of what is happening in the country and connect the dots.
“All of us as South Africans should wake up and smell the coffee. All of us have an interest of making sure our country remains stable, our economy growths, inequality is addressed and jobs are created. When things turn to be ugly and bad, institutions are weakened and development suffers. We are probably at crossroads in South Africa, and we should not take this lightly. There are very big lessons we have to take from this as a country,” says Jonas.
Gordhan commended Jonas for revealing that the Guptas had offered him money for the position of Finance Minister, stating that their souls are not for sale and south Africans should make it clear that the country is not for sale.