SOUTH Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) confirmed Des van Rooyen had been nominated acting mines minister whilst incumbent Mosebenzi Zwane attended to business in Dubai.
“Mr Van Rooyen is the stand in minister,” said Martin Madlala, spokesman for Zwane. “It’s always been the practice that when the minister is out of the country, he appoints someone to act for him,” he added.
Van Rooyen, who was previously finance minister, was introduced as Zwane’s stand in at the Mine Occupational Health and Safety Tripartite Summit today.
It triggered concern among the mining industry that Zwane had been replaced, but Madlala was quick to scotch the rumour: “I can confirm that Minister Zwane has not been sacked,” he said.
Earlier this week, Zwane was reprimanded by President Jacob Zuma after he said a judicial commission of inquiry would be launched into the termination of banking services to the Gupta-owned company Oakbay Investments. The Democratic Alliance said Zwane should have been fired.
Quite why Zwane did not nominate his deputy, Godfrey Oliphant, to the acting position is not known, especially as Van Rooyen is a particularly emotive choice.
Van Rooyen, who is currently minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, replaced finance minister Nhanhla Nene in December only to be replaced in turn by Pravin Gordhan.
It was later claimed that the Gupta brothers had influenced the nomination of cabinet members which, in turn, led to the Public Protector’s state capture report.
Zwane was appointed mines minister in September, a surprise appointment as his predecessor, Ngoako Ramatlhodi, had settled well into the complex mining brief.
“Why would minister Zwane no longer be in the job,” said Ayanda Shezi, spokeswomen for the DMR. “The minister is currently leading a South African delegation in the Kimberley Process,” she added.
Dubai currently has chairmanship of the Kimberley Process which seeks to stamp out conflict diamonds by establishing the provenance of all diamonds mined.
