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Pretoria - Senior officials in the National Treasury have welcomed Malusi Gigaba as their finance minister, but warned him that they were committed to serving the country, not an individual.
"What you are inheriting is a team of very committed professionals who conduct their business almost all the time, in a superbly professional manner," director general Lungisa Fuzile told Gigaba during a brief photo opportunity at the Treasury's offices on Friday afternoon.
"They are not committed to serving a particular individual; they are committed to serving their country," Fuzile added.
He said their work would continue to be done within the framework and the parameters defined in the Constitution and according to laws, including the Public Finance Management Act and the Municipal Finance Management Act.
Fuzile said staff at the department would make sure they built a working relationship with Gigaba to ensure that they could continue doing their work.
"There is no doubt that we are going to build a working relationship with you over time that ensures that the work of the institution continues [and] the work of continuing to strengthen the institution also continues," Fuzile said.
'Unite nation, calm markets'
Earlier, Gigaba had told Treasury officials that they were all members of the same government, working to carry the country forward.
"What's important for now is to say that we look forward to working with you to implement the problems of inclusive growth because we believe that this is the fundamental urgency," Gigaba said.
He said the work that the department had already done and was currently working on would continue despite the change in political leadership.
Gigaba, however, said the public narrative around the Cabinet reshuffle needed to be addressed, in order to unite the nation.
Image: Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba and Deputy Finance Minister Sifiso Buthelezi briefed by senior officials from National Treasury, including director general Lungisa Fuzile. (Mpho Raborife, News24)
"I think we need to do a lot because I'm sure all of us are concerned about the public narrative at the moment and I think we are all committed to trying to unite the nation, calm the markets, and make sure that the work of government continues as it is supposed to, particularly the mandate of the National Treasury.
"I just want to emphasise that we are not a new government, we are members of the same government," Gigaba said.
Earlier on Friday former minister of finance Pravin Gordhan and his former deputy Mcebisi Jonas held a briefing in the same building more than 10 hours after they learnt through the media that they had been axed from their positions.
'National challenge'
After an emotional goodbye to Treasury staff, Gordhan and Jonas addressed a crowd of supporters who had gathered outside their officers, thanking them for their support.
The pair then held a media briefing where they laid bare the events of this week which ultimately led to their dismissal.
They encouraged South Africans to be vigilant and to begin connecting the dots of the incidents occurring in the country.
"By the time the disaster hits the country, we will be accused of having lived with our eyes wide shut when actually political decay is happening.
"We have a challenge, it's a national challenge. It is not about Pravin Gordhan, it is not about Jonas, this is clearly something as a country we need to be worried about," Jonas said.
Both men said the Public Protector's State of Capture report had given South Africa a picture of what was happening in the country.
They said even if only a third of the report had any element of truth in it, it should still concern South Africans.
Gigaba said he had spoken to Gordhan and Jonas on Friday morning and would be meeting with them sometime next week for the handover of reports.
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