Share

A govt at war with itself - what war, asks Zuma

Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma denied that the Presidency and National Treasury are at war with each other.

Addressing parliament during a questions and answer session in the National Assembly, Zuma reiterated that he knew nothing about “a government that is at war with itself”.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa made statements to this effect when he spoke at the memorial service of the late ANC stalwart Makhenkesi Stofile and repeated the stance at a summit of the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) last Friday.

READ: A well-run government is not at war with itself - Ramaphosa

On Tuesday Zuma was responding to a follow-up question from DA leader Mmusi Maimane whether he agreed with Ramaphosa that he was serving in a divisive government. “Do you agree with the deputy president? What action are you taking to stop this war? Or is it benefiting you politically?” Maimane asked.  

Zuma denied ever hearing the statement, or knowing about a so-called “war”.

“There is no war between the Presidency and Treasury. Huh-uh. I’m clarifying that point. Whatever perceptions people may have – and perceptions are perceptions – if people are making wrong statements, we will deal with that.”

READ: Cabinet not looking to probe banks - Presidency

Zuma was specifically referring to Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane who had issued a statement about a cabinet decision to conduct a judicial inquiry into banks after terminating their relationship with the Gupta family. Zuma distanced himself from Zwane’s statement.

The president told MPs not to “balloon” the Zwane issue. “I’m dealing with the minister about his statement. I don’t know about any other statements made,” he said with reference to Ramaphosa’s earlier utterances.

Asked what government was doing to prevent a ratings downgrade in the coming months, Zuma named a number of interventions, including the 9-point plan, and said it was heartening that the South African economy grew by 3.3% in the second quarter of 2016.

“It’s a good sign,” Zuma said. “It’s a good sign. Our collective efforts are yielding results. We’re sending a good signal to investors and ratings agencies,” Zuma said while laughing.

Read more on the Q&A in parliament:

Zuma vs Ramaphosa: Who is in charge of SOEs?

Zuma defends SAA chairperson Dudu Myeni

Zuma 'clueless' about his 9-point plan - DA

Read Fin24's top stories trending on Twitter:

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
19.00
-0.5%
Rand - Pound
24.02
-0.5%
Rand - Euro
20.51
-0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.35
-0.0%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.6%
Platinum
900.15
+0.4%
Palladium
1,000.00
-0.2%
Gold
2,209.06
+0.7%
Silver
24.59
-0.2%
Brent Crude
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
68,122
+0.7%
All Share
74,310
+0.5%
Resource 10
56,908
+2.2%
Industrial 25
103,615
+0.3%
Financial 15
16,488
-0.2%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders