SA rocked by resignation of ministers

I'm gone, I'm relocating to Nigeria

Too bad I see Manto has not resigned.

The crisis deepens. We are throwing the baby out with the bathwater in losing our Finance Minister. No doubt he believes that no matter what he does the Zuma-ites would make it impossible for him to function and he would be right. Even if all of the Ministers were to stay on during the interim period before the election, they would be savaged by Malema, Vavi, et al.

It would have been far better to Impeach Mbeki than to lose some of the cabinet members who are actually competent.
Farewell, Trevor. You are the greatest loss to the nation in this mad debacle. One can only hope that you intend to help form a new party. Misplaced loyalty has the brought the country to this impasse, Trevor; please, don't commit the same error by staying in the ANC.

Let them go, the anc is not short of capable people. they were selected from a pool of people and there is more were they came from. TD

if this people can form a political party they will win i will give them 46% of votes and ANC will get 34% with the rest going to small Parties, so what are they waiting for they are the only ones who can save us from this disaster, if they ever cared about this country the will form a political party

One consolation: Quite a few of them haven't been doing anything constructive for the last year or two anyway. Too busy denying there's a split in the ruling party!!

Sigh! It's going to be a lo-ong while before we have ministers and DG's and departments actually working.

Sorry, Poor People, delivery has been postponed again. Come back a year from now.

Oh, and remember to vote for the United Party next year.

Despite the drop in the rand and the investor jitters this could be the best news in years.

I truly believe this can divorce the ANC moderates from the radicals.

I wonder if Cyril will stick to his UDF roots or whether he'll stick with the radicals.

Soon Nzimandi will have to fight elections as a communist...death to the parasite.

Death to the Cabal

Thank you Mbeki, thank you Zuma for killing the many headed beast called the ANC collective or alliance or whatever

That's it. South Africa is well on its way of becoming another African failed state. This ANC under the leadership of Zuma is turning this country into a Banana Republic.

Pity Manto didn't join them.

Unfortunately Mbeki did bring it on himself, but perhaps it's a good thing, that given the number of ministers who have resigned (thanks Irwin, but any hope Manto will follow suit? Please? Pretty please?), it could well be a Pyrrhic victory for Zuma. And if a "new" ANC starts, then that could be VERY good news for the country...

When one party has an overwhelming majority as the ANC does now, that's bad news, but when there is a chance that at the next election your party may fall, you tend to watch your step a lot more - and try much harder to deliver on promises.

A comment I made earlier:

"The decision to ask the president to resign did not apply to the full Cabinet, but only to the president," said Cosatu secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi. News 24

It is official. Mr. Comrade Vavi says cabinet, including Trevor, may stay on. How gracious of him.

He assures Trevor and Maria the crown jewels won't be damaged.

But then again, Vavi broke a few promises in his life

I guess it was a bit too daunting to think he will have to work hand in hand with a genius in economics such as mr Vavi.

It's good riddance. It was known all along that many of them would resign because they are not loyal to their organisation but only to an individual. South Africa is blessed with an abundance of capable leaders. The ex-ministers would be replaced accordingly and promptly.Cabinet ministers come and go so this is one of those things. By the way there are no qualifications required for one to become a cabinet minister. They would of course be remembered for failing to challenge the dissident view that aids does not exist, that crime is just a perception, that there was no crisis in Zimbabwe, for elecrticity problems, for keeping mum when there were strikes in the security industry for more than three months and more than a month in the public service. The list is endless. Many of these people were appointed because of their close relationship with the soon to be ex-president of the country, hence they were just mere toys.

Crisis, what crisis?

maybe this people know something that we do not know. remember they are privy to information that they do not know and we need to ask them why they resigned. it is also good for them to pursue other careers and we wish them the best. lets hope the new adminisatrtion will take this country forward.

Could someone please get our wonderful Minister of Health Manto to resign too??

Well there is a glimmer of financial hope, though whether this will happen or not I don't know. Of course people are going to panic, half our government and the leaders we've placed our trust in have disappeared overnight:

"Outgoing Finance Minister Trevor Manuel is willing to "serve the new administration in whatever capacity," says his spokesperson. "We are asking people not panic about his announcement."-- News24.com

The whole cabinet must resign because they were chosen by Mbeki. The incoming president would need to appoint his own people and if there are current sitting ministers he would not have much choice. I think some of the ministers that have resigned have done so knowing that they will be reappointed come Thursday and will accept to start work, come Thursday. It is the president of South Africa and not the ANC that appoints cabinet, and he could even appoint cabinet from the opposition if he wanted. So the new President should be given the opportunity to start on a new slate with people that he can work with.

This reminds me of the forecasts of doom in 1990 if Britain ever came out of the ERM.
SA is a bad place to invest because the exchange rate is so destructive, as it was in Britain until the “devaluations” of 1931, 1949, 1992 etc. The exchange rate and interest rate needs to come down a long way yet, as COSATU has said. That is the only way manufacturing and farming will flourish without very high inflation

Tito Mboweni as the Governor of the South African Reserve Bank was no less a worshipper of Chicago Economics than the Hitler-admiring Montagu Norman, Governor of the Bank of England who controlled the 1929-31 British Labour Government. Trevor Manuel became Finance Minister proclaiming policies that were mild compared to those Keynes carried out during the war when Mr Churchill was Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945. Manuel soon found accepting 21st Century Globalization had so many personal advantages, even if these were to the detriment of his country*s poor. A latter day Philip Snowden licking the Governor’s boots.

I could have cried when I heard that Manuel was to get a year of grooming by the Civil Service before he had any say in policy. Unfortunately, I was only too right.

Mantu is going to stay, she is on the gravy train, who else would put up with her ?? I say Manuel for president, he is the only one that ever spoke any sense of that lot. M.

Parliament failed its constitutional duty to scrutinize and oversee executive action in the Zuma case since 2002/2003. Parliament’s dereliction of duty allowed inferences to be made that members of the executive overstepped their powers.

Parliament's decision to accept Pres Mbeki's resignation (forced by these inferences) thus triggered Cabinet ministers’ resignation. In their decision, Parliament showed itself to be lapdogs of the Zuma cabal.

Wow! now we know if people were sworn in to lead the country or were just puppets for an individual. We thank God that the Director Generals who are the ones ensuring the move of the country and who are the ones making names for this ministers are still keeping their jobs. thats a plus.

You will unfortunately agree with me that ministers are just a face and political decision makers not the real brain to the success of the country. Our Director Generals are atleast still there to give direction as they have been all this time. South Africa don't need to panic over this show. Brave are those that would rather wait to be fired, I believe they are the only ones who knows the mandate they have sworn on, the rest is Me, MYSELF and I. (The country comes later, I wonder if they are the reason this country was moving so slow.) In all this we realise that infact is only God who is in charge here, not any individual. He alone anderstand the importance of time.

Why did the Minister of Safety and Security not resigned? Is Charles Nqukula, (not Charles Glass), bt any means aware of this rare window of opportunity to leave cabinet, whilst he is on AWOL with the crime situation in the country?

Charles, Charles where are you? just do the absent thing legal whilst you are absent about our situation...

your biggest fan

Pierre van Niekerk

Why are we supposed to be "rocked" this is just a list of fat-cats that NEVER did anything for the people on the streets in South Africa. It's funny they only realize now that they should have resigned ages ago.

Mashanela Dlamini wrote "South Africa is blessed with an abundance of capable leaders."

Respectfully, I find this a very disputable claim. Would you care to please name some individuals you believe to have the potential to be capable leaders?

Congratulations to those who've followed the president's lead. It's now up to the people of South Africa to rebuild an ANC gutted by Shenge Zuma and his cohorts. The depth of anger in the Western and Eastern Capes has yet to be fathomed or reflected by the media.

One question: What chance Transnet CEO Maria Ramos and lesser office bearers, civil servants, and parastatal employees quitting in dusgust?

At least Zuma is left with Ivy and Manto. I'm sure he'll be delighted they've stayed on. In the interests of the people, of course.

To who are these Ministers loyal to?

My thoughts: I am not a politician and am not interested in becoming one either.However as a fortunate South African child leaving in todays world I have also become observant of the world of Politics.

I have read many books about the leaders of this country both still in serving ,the retired and those who are today late. One of the things I learnt and found very interesting was that, politicians of today have since become loyal to the leaders and have proved several times that they serve leaders and not the political party's they come from. However during the times of Mkhulu Thambo,Mkhulu Mandela,Mkhulu Sisulu,Oom Gov.. etc , the loyalty was to the movement. Today No one seems to care about the furthering of the vision of the organisation rather today's politicians from all political parties be it white guided or black led party, the priciples have since changed. It has become a game of power to them.


This is demonstrated a lot today by the resignations we are seeing of several ministers after the High office resignation. I do not believe that is the correct discipline displayed both from an organsational perspective and from a professional perspective.

Loyalty to one's responsibilities to the country and to the organisation can never end only becasue one is no longer working with the boss that appointed them.

We as citizens of this country need those ministers more now so as to show the world that we will overcome. These resignations are so unprofessional and the welfare of the country is being sacrificed from a governance perspective.

It is normal that organisations take decisions that not everyone is happy with ,however if you are a discplined member of the organisation be it a corporate entity or a political party , who is there for the course of the people, you should not feel compelled to step down when things do not go your way.

You stay to find ways of minimizing damage where there is a threat of same for the sake of the country. I always thought that was the mentality of the comrades as soldiers. When it gets tough, you do not quit but you go forward for the sake of the country.

I may be out of context but my point is simply...If political party members are loyal to an individual not to the organisation and its founding values and missions statements, we are always going to get weak leaders in this country.

We need people who will serve the people of the country not individuals.I as a normal citizen of the country am dissapointed in their behaviour and will never have faith in them again as a result I will ever support their future appointment or re-appointments.

LET THEM GO AND TELL THEM NEVER TO COME BACK TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY WHEN THEY NEED US.

Well it's sad that guys you are leaving but farewell, SA shall never ever be in the position of running out of skilled people, in as much as you were discovered so shall other potential ministers who'll want to invest with their knowledge and skills at the very same time dedicated to their work and not driven position-status be available. Why are leaving with Mbeki, what is it that you are hiding. South Africa shall never ,I repeat never-ever go down. Those who wants to leave they must leave, we wish them good luck but they must watch this space.

This is a sad day for the country. as President Mbeki said "gloom and despondency have never defeated adversity" lets look forward and build our country. Beautiful South Africa.

The question is, will South Africans tolerate this. Will South African allow a 'Robert Zuma Mugabe'....

I doubt very much that the ANC or members of the ANC would split from the Party. The whole point of the ANC is that it is strong because it is united. It would never allow itself to be divided. Those of you that think that it would divide itself into two opposing groups - dream on. There are not two centres of power - remember!

This was to be expected, I don't see how these ministers could have stayed on when they were also implicated in the smear campaign against Zuma. However, for real ANC members this will leave a very bitter taste in the mouth because irespective of our feelings, the country and the party comes first. I just hope this is not a result of the Zuma camp pressuring these ministers to resign. If that is not the case, they are not doing South Africa and the party any favour. I know many people, especially those alligned to Zizi are probably rejoicing now, however, this is an empty victory because "we" are the ones who'll suffer if the economy falters as a result of these resignations.

Thank God we have reached a point where we can envisage the weakening of the ANC. Yes this was once the great glorious liberator of our people. My brothers and sisters we have witnessed and must learn that the days of single party dominance must come to an end. Here is a clear display of a party that over time has become so intoxicated with it's power to the extent that it, together with its alliance partners, put an individual then the party before our beloved country. God will punish them! Im inspired by the movie 300 which demontrates that against all odds even a giant beast can be tamed. No man no party no movement shall ever consider itself greater than the country. The ANC is not God's gift to us, God's gift to us is the land the rivers the skies and awesome oceans. In the coming elections South Africans must close rank and their mark to weaken this beast. Most importantly we must pray for our country and our children. God bless our beloved country, long live South Africa!

Why is minister of health still there?

Yes,the president saw no crisis in Zembabwe yes he ignored warning against electricity shortage. You are the same people who crucified him on these basis. I have a question for you: Will you be able to crucify yourselves after not seeing a crisis in half of the current cabinet resigning, how ready are you to assume these posts, besides being hungry for power? let me guess your remedial process, Mathews for finance minister, Vavi for labour, Blade for education, Tokyo for public enterprise, list is endless. How smart? ANC leaders are so inconsiderate, we are just tools to get them to power, they get there, they start fights and draw camps. How grateful? The louder you are, no matter how stupid your uttering may sound, with the new government, your voice will be heard, How caring? This is not worth even my best wish, to hell with power struggle maan....

"Somebody teach me politics"

The exodus of ministers says they have no confidence in the upcommming administration if it is wrong as pecieved.Another perspective is that if there really was a plot against Zuma there were a part of it.

Today is the only the 1st day of the rest of our lives, definately not the end.
Yes our political landscape is undergoing a re-birth of significance but we as a nation and a country shall overcome.
I thank the ex-president and ex-ministers for all the good they HAVE done for the country and wish them well in their future endeavours.
Also, I urge them to reflect on the social, issues they failed us with and hope that they'll strive for much better in the future.
I'm dissapointed though that after all the loyalty our incompetent minister of health received from president Mbeki, she now refuses to return the favour. Manto should resign in solidarity and leave the way open for someone more capable and compasionate, to drastically improve our health sector.
To those who will fill the positions left vacant, always remember that a positive + a positive + a negative always = a negative.
IE.Your legacy will be remembered mostly for the things you neglected to do instead of the things you did as we now see with the departure of Mbeki and ilk.
But fear not, stay possitive, keep your feet on the ground and genuinely strive to serve the people of this country and who knows; in a few years time, you might be the new hero our country was waiting for.

NO CRISIS

There is no crisis. They should resign because they were appointed by the out-going President. There is no assurance that the in-coming President will want them in the same capacities.
Only the Finance Minister is guaranteed of his re-appointment in the same capacity and others are what Vavi called "dead wood" who continued in their positions thanks to Mbeki's desire to surround himself with yes man and women. Iwonder why others who fit the label have stayed put. I suspect they are scared that resigning would surely give the in-coming President a way off not appointing them.

The ANC lives, for the ANC is bigger than individuals, and has many capable leaders who were outlooked by the out-going President for a long time. Change is scary, change is painful and change brings a time of panic and uncertainity. But the ANC has always proved sceptics wrong.

Life goes on and the markets will soon realise that the fear that has gripped them is misplaced.

Long live the ANC, long live the NDR, Prosper South Africa Prosper.

For me, the true test of the man and his ability to lead will come with whether he gives Manto the chop, for she of all of them , is the Achilles heel in our future. With all due respect, the closest I would allow her to health care is dispensing Panado at a clinic. Our entire future swivels on 4 points : Economy, Safety, Health and Education. It is here where the ANC must be VERY VERY careful in how it acts.

As for Mr. Zuma, I am willing to give him his chance. Hes forward and is able to actually make decisions. He may well be just what we need. All he needs to do is like a good father, discipline his youth (league) with extreme sternness and immovable assertion.

It saddens me to see so many people rejoice at the loss of 15 cabinet ministers. Do these people realise what this means or is it just ignorance? Such ignorance will lead to our countrys' downfall; if the people in a democratic state are not fully knowledgable on how the government works, the notion of rule by the people can thus be contested.

President Malema said "we will replace a politician with another politician". This was in regard to the anticipated recall of president Mbeki. As it might, sometimes, be difficult to comprehend the ANCYL president's pronounciations, he has a point. This country cannot be held at ransom by people who do not understand the fundamentals of politics.
Absolutely no individual is above their respective party lines.
There are more then enough adequately schooled, both politically and academically individuals in the ruling party who can fill these vacant positions. The people of the republic need not worry.
Greener pastures are near!

Will South African allow a 'Robert Zuma Mugabe'?
Why not if it has allowed 80 per cent of South African arable lands and economy to stay in the hands of a 10 per cent minority.

Good. It is only the beginning. When people realize what they have voted for, they will change their minds, perhaps quickly. This is not the begining of the 38 years of the ANC. Are these people commited to South Africa, or is this: you are all fired and we will hire back the ones that made no noise. Who was in NY? How can you fix poverty by destroying the economy. This is the exact time of change that effects all, and it is time to speak. D. Hurst

what about Manto? Thank God she didn't resign , what an asset to the Nation....