Jacob Zuma’s decision to re-shuffle his cabinet for a second time in one year, came as a surprise to many people. It seems as though the liberals and their media houses just can’t accept that Zuma is highly unpredictable because he does not think, nor govern, according to any standard of measurement. He basically does as he wants. But what is the real reason behind it all?
Front National predicted, in August already, that some unexpected political shenanigans from Zuma’s side could be expected shortly before the ANC’s leadership conference in December. We were not surprised by yesterday’s move at all.
The axing of Blade Nzimande has nothing to do with politics. This is simply and purely a personal revenge for the break between the ANC and the SACP. Blade is not Zuma’s friend anymore, so Zuma doesn’t want Blade to be part of the game anymore. Blade openly stated that Zuma is not a good president and should be replaced, and Zuma is not prepared to let that go by. And while the media and commentators focus on Blade being fired from his job, Zuma rubs his hands for successfully firing off another decoy flair, while the main move goes unnoticed – the appointment of the unknown Bongani Thomas Bongo as Minister of State Security.
Rumors in the political corridors over the last two weeks has it that Zuma wants to get rid of Cyril Ramaphosa before the leadership conference. Especially after the Appeal Court rejected his appeal against legal prosecution for the more than 700 criminal charges against him. He has to make sure that he does not land in jail after 2019 and the only way for that to happen is for a presidential pardon, which Cyril won’t grant. But Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will. And so Jacob must ensure that his fate rests in the hands of the mother of some of his brood, rather than in the hands of the billionaire who does not like him very much!
Zuma got rid of Pravin Gordhan and Mcebisi Jonas by using a secret State Security Report against them. He will do the same with Cyril, and for that he needs a reliable ally as Minister for State Security to convincingly pull off the scheme.
This much was confirmed in an interview with eNCA by James Motlatsi, a veteran trade unionist, ANC man and close confidant of Ramaphosa.
Zuma knew exactly what he did yesterday. He might not be an academic genius, but he is no fool either. He is a shrewd strategist, a ruthless pragmatist and a master at political games. And that is why we can prepare ourselves to have him as president for at least another 2 years. And probably never experience the satisfaction of seeing him in court.
Read the original article by Daniel Lötter in Afrikaans on Front Nasionaal SA – blad
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