JOHANNESBURG - The news of the uncertainty over Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene's future that broke yesterday rocked the country’s markets, with government bonds and the rand taking the biggest hit.
Business Report asked our readers in the form of a Twitter poll if they thought that President Cyril Ramaphosa should accept Nene's request to step down as the finance minister and have him replaced with somebody else.
A NATION DIVIDED
Results from the poll appeared to have the nation divided as to whether Nene should be replaced or not.
According to the BR poll, 51% of voters thought that Nene should be replaced or sacked while 49% of those who voted felt that Ramaphosa should stick with Nene as the country's finance boss.
View the poll results below:
Do you think that President Cyril Ramaphosa should replace South Africa's Finance minister Nhlanhla Nene? #FinanceMinister #NhlanhlaNene #CyrilRamaphosa
— Business Report (@busrep) October 8, 2018
Take a look at those who shared their views on the matter on Twitter below:
Lots of ministers have and still meet with bussines people in different occasions and different places including their place of work and residences . CR7 can't use it as basis just bcos it's not the family name he reports to
— MR K (@RalphKhumalo) October 8, 2018
Depends on why he met the Guptas in the first place and why he kept it a secret but I really don't think one should rush in to fire him!
— anne rochekelly (@ARochekelly) October 8, 2018
i think we need to understand first why he did meet them, what was the proposed deal to him by corrupt Guptas and what was his response to them, we must give him platform to explain and from there president must do the right thing
— mutende tenda (@tendamutende10) October 8, 2018
Choosing @MYANC MP's, it's no longer about who's corrupt and who's not, it's just a case of who is the least corrupt/incompetent of the lot. Sad state of affairs SA finds itself in :-(
— Soft Anarchist (@Soft_Anarchist) October 8, 2018
Jonas may well have skeletons too. Istill have not heard a satisfactory explanationof how he happened to be in the company of Duduzane Zuma and the Guptas when he was tempted with offers of money and cabinet job. What led to his “temptation”?( and “delivery from evil”?)
— Thanda Sibisi (@ThandaSibisi) October 9, 2018
BUSINESS AS USUAL
Nene seems to be continuing with work as usual. Nene is expected to travel to Indonesia in order to represent South Africa at the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank annual meeting.
Treasury spokesperson, Jabulani Sikhakhane, said the finance minister was expected to arrive in Indonesia on Wednesday.