Cabinet surprised by Zwane’s bank announcement

Mosebenzi Zwane’s fellow ministers were not forewarned about his false announcement regarding a judicial inquiry into SA’s banks.

Cape Town - Fellow Cabinet members were not forewarned of Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane’s announcement of a judicial inquiry into banks and read about it in the media, said Cabinet spokesman and Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe on Thursday.

“No, I also like all of you read it in the newspaper,” Radebe told a briefing on Cabinet’s regular fortnightly meeting.

Asked repeatedly whether Zwane would be censured for stepping out of line with a false announcement two weeks ago that Cabinet had agreed to an inquiry into the decision by several SA banks to break ties with the Gupta family’s Oakbay Investments, Radebe said he could only say that President Jacob Zuma had made it clear he would raise the matter with Zwane.

Zuma this week told the National Assembly he was engaging with Zwane and cautioned that the furore should not be read as a sign of strife within the government.

“The statement by the office of the president is very explicit in repudiating the statement that was made by minister Zwane on the issue of the banks. There is no more that I can add on that,” Radebe said.

He confirmed that Zwane attended Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, but said he was not interrogated there about the matter.

AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY