Life in South Africa may be many things, but boring is not one of them. You only have to look at the fact that the country’s had three finance ministers in less than a week. Yup, just four days after President Jacob Zuma’s shock axing of Nhlanhla Nene, his replacement David van Rooyen found himself out of a job, with Pravin Gordhan back in charge of the treasury.
President Zuma made the announcement on Sunday night, with a statement saying that he had “received many representations to reconsider my decision”.
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“As a democratic government,” he added, “we emphasise the importance of listening to the people and to respond to their views”.
As well as returning Gordhan to a portfolio he had occupied between 2009 and 2014, Zuma redeployed van Rooyen to the department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
The Rand, which had collapsed in the wake of Nene’s firing, rebounded strongly on news of Gordhan’s return. While market analysts were cautiously optimistic, they cautioned that the currency could still waver. One thing that hasn’t wavered in the past week however is South African Twitter’s ability to tell a joke in the face of adversity.
Here are some of the best reactions to Sunday night’s news:
This thing we call our country is a joke #ZumaMustStillFall pic.twitter.com/7H87RC4QgJ
— Royal Aya (@ayasept) December 14, 2015
Jacob, you can't just wave your magic wand and yell "REPARO". #ZumaMustStillFall pic.twitter.com/65c97BNPdU
— WarrenK (@MrSmithMachine) December 14, 2015
#JacobZuma has no chill #ZumaMustStillFall #PravinGordhan pic.twitter.com/iOg33flK4f
— AbortedNews (@AbortedNews) December 14, 2015
Misheard….#ZumaMustStillFall #PravinGordhan #DavidVanRooyen @EricJWest @MiljoenvirSteve @steve_hofmeyr @Etiennefdt pic.twitter.com/dkdFhQhAl4
— Ex Unitate Jan (@ExUnitateVires) December 14, 2015
My President is full of Surprises, I'm not missing any this time around #ZumaMustFall #ZumaMustStillFall pic.twitter.com/PYtseHjfWx
— Gubevu (@InnoMbotshwa) December 13, 2015
#ZumaMustStillFall – laughing stock of the world pic.twitter.com/FLMryQOU9W
— #stopCorruption (@sym_za) December 14, 2015
I swear SA is the best country in the world #ZumaMustStillFall pic.twitter.com/QsENk5HRBg
— The Dark Knight (@FulcrumCapacity) December 14, 2015
Sunday twitter is always lit! #BlackTwitter #ZumaMustFall #ZumaMustStillFall pic.twitter.com/RUq1mFZlqq
— Daddy's Princess (@MyPule_) December 13, 2015
#PravinGordhan #ZumaMustStillFall pic.twitter.com/OwVLWE02BH
— Ian Bredenkamp (@IanBredenkamp) December 14, 2015
#Zuma to #VanRooyen 
— JHB STUDENTS (@JHBSTUDENTS) December 14, 2015
The finance minister is giving a briefing at 13h00. So far that would be Pravin Gordhan, but there are still some hours to go.
— samantha cowen (@samcowen) December 14, 2015
Poor David van Rooyen. He wasn't even in office long enough to get his own verified Twitter account.
— Gus Silber (@gussilber) December 13, 2015
Zuma's horcruxes:
1. Nkandla
2. Shower
3. David van Rooyen
4. Schabir Shaik
5. Guptas
6. Eskom
7. SAA
Our work is cut out for us, guys.
— Rose Kotze (@rosekotze) December 13, 2015
You guys. Zuma was just making table mountain. The patriotism is deep. 
— Angel Campey (@YesReallyAngel) December 14, 2015
Zuma seems to make all these big calls quite late at night. It's as if he is drunk texting us all.
— Dean Oelschig (@DeanOelsch) December 13, 2015
Featured Image: International Monetary Fund.
