Karima Brown
6 November 2008
Johannesburg — PRESIDENT Kgalema Motlanthe's decision to appoint three deputy ministers has been welcomed by the African National Congress (ANC) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) but the appointments mask divisions among alliance partners over the appointees.
Motlanthe appointed Nhlanhla Nene as deputy finance minister despite ANC insiders at Luthuli House and the party's parliamentary caucus saying ANC national executive committee (NEC) member Enoch Godongwana was tipped for the post. A former finance MEC in Eastern Cape, Godongwana, who was, against expectations, not sworn in as an MP this week, emerged the frontrunner after the resignation of Jabu Moleketi, Thabo Mbeki's deputy finance minister.
Rumours of Godongwana's apparent appointment evoked intense debate within ANC circles as several people argued for and against his suitability. It is understood that Go dongwana enjoys a close relationship with Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, shares many of his views on macroeconomic policy and was a contender because of his prudent fiscal stance.
Opponents of Manuel's conservative stance argued that Godongwana's appointment would signal more of the same policies at a time when the ANC needed to shift on policy issues and the role of the treasury in government.
Another reason for opposition to Godongwana's move to the cabinet was his record as MEC for finance in Eastern Cape.
"If he was to become the deputy finance minister it would send a terrible signal. But nothing is cast in stone, all of this could change in the new year," another ANC NEC member said.
Since the resignation of Mbeki after his recall by the ANC, several ministers and their deputies have been replaced, a move that brought forward decisions by the ANC's top brass on who should be deployed to public office long before the party's list conference.
Under Motlanthe's presidency, which is expected to come to an end to make room for ANC president Jacob Zuma after next year's election, a new cabinet with new faces can be expected.
"Some people who have been put in positions now will have to be moved again. Some could well be retained and others sent packing," an NEC member said.
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe yesterday remained tightlipped about the finer details, refusing to be drawn on Godongwana's future in public office.
It has emerged that the ANC is drawing up a supplementary list that will soon be processed by its parliamentary caucus so that new MPs can be sworn in.
"I don't know if that has been done or what the timeframes are," he said in response to questions about whether the ANC's deployment committee had decided on whether to deploy Godongwana to Parliament.
Godongwana told Business Day that he was ready to serve the ANC should it require him to do so.
" I am a member of the ANC and we serve in whatever capacity we are deployed," he said. However, he said as far as he knew he was not on the list of people to be deployed to Parliament. ANC sources in Parliament said he was likely to be included on the supplementary list.
"What I know is that his name was supposed to be on the list (of members sworn in this week). My understanding is that Kgalema opposed his appointment," another ANC functionary said.
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