Zuma defends decision on Van Rooyen ‘havoc’

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma said yesterday Desmond van Rooyen was the most “highly qualified” finance minister he had appointed.

At the inaugural meeting of the Presidential Press Corps, Zuma defended appointing Van Rooyen, saying people had assumed he just woke up one day and decided.

Zuma’s axing of former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene and appointment of Van Rooyen caused a financial backlash, resulting in Zuma reappointing Pravin Gordhan to the post after high-level intervention.

Zuma described the appointment of former MK operative Van Rooyen, who is now Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister‚ as “that thing that caused such havoc”.

Yet, Zuma said, Van Rooyen was more qualified than any other minister he had ever appointed to the post.