South Africa’s Zuma Sacks Finance Minister As His Credibility Takes Further Tumble But ANC Rallies Behind President

Mr Zuma says he has heeded criticism AFP

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma has yielded to public pressure by sacking his deeply unpopular Finance Minister Des Van Rooyen - four days after appointing him. 

Mr Zuma said the respected Pravin Gordhan - who served as Finance Minister from 2004 to 2009 - would return to the post. 

Pravin Gordhan served as South African finance minister from 2009 until last year AFP

"I have received many representations to reconsider my decision, as a democratic government, we emphasize the importance of listening to the people and to respond to their views," Mr Zuma said. 

BBC Africa Live/GRAPHITTI NEWS report continue:

His dismissal last week of Nhlanhla Nene - who was said to have fallen out with Mr Zuma over government spending - caused widespread anger across South Africa, with calls on the governing African National Congress (ANC) to sack him. 

It also led to the currency falling to an all-time low, raising fears of a recession in Africa's second-biggest economy. 

However President Zuma's decision to appoint Pravin Gordhan as the new finance minister has failed to quell the torrent of criticism from opposition parties, as the country reels from the shock of having three finance ministers in less than a week. 

The main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party leader Musi Maimane said: "This is reckless by President Zuma - he is playing Russian roulette with the South African economy. 

"How much longer can South Africa afford Zuma to hold office? We need change and a new plan for South Africa," Mr Maimane added.

The left-wing Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party said Mr Zuma should resign.

"If anyone still does not think we are in a Banana Republic, they cannot be helped. No amount of explanation can save the ANC from the embarrassment and the joke they have put the entire country through," the party said in a statement. 

Mr Zuma (C) has been president since 2009 ANC

The ANC though has rallied in favour of the President. South Africa's governing African National Congress (ANC) party has defended President Jacob Zuma's dramatic U-turn on the appointment of a new finance minister.

It denies that he faced internal pressure from within the party just days after the appointment of Des van Rooyen - an outsider with no experience at national government level - sent the economy into free-fall. 

The markets have rallied at the news that Pravin Gordhan is returning to the job but Mr Zuma's credibility has been severely dented.

Zuma A 'Wrecking Ball'

President Jacob Zuma’s decision to fire and hire three finance ministers in the space of a week has been a colossal blunder. 

Not only is this the view of opposition parties calling for his resignation, but also the general public, markets and the president himself - hence the U-turn over the weekend. 

The ANC holds a majority of more than 60% AFP

The question on most people’s minds is what on earth is happening at Luthuli House, the headquarters of the governing African National Congress (ANC). 

The party's leadership was not consulted over Mr Zuma's decision last week to replace the highly respected Nhlanhla Nene with little-known MP Des van Rooyen, and seemed to have heard about the dramatic decision at the same time as the rest of us. 

There is no doubt that the ANC - the oldest liberation movement in Africa - is in disarray. 

Its president has been described as a wrecking ball.

Cabinet ministers in Mr Zuma's office admitted that they too had no clue that the 73-year-old Mr Zuma was about to deliver his biggest faux pas as head of state in Africa’s most industrialized economy.