"He explained his reasons then to us that his relationship between himself and finance minister Gordhan was not good‚" she said.
South Africa's ruling ANC party Wednesday expressed support for President Jacob Zuma after senior members openly criticised his cabinet reshuffle, citing fears of worsening corruption and economic crisis.
"We will support the new minister where necessary and fight with him where necessary", he added.
South Africa's leading financial paper Business Day called the downgrade "a black day for the country".
"That public dissonance was a mistake that will not happen again", the party's secretary-general, Gwede Mantashe, said at a news conference after a meeting of the party's leaders.
South Africa's embattled president Jacob Zuma has been backed by a major decision-making body within the ruling ANC.
"Instead of chasing criminals we have many agencies chasing up and trying to criminalise honest people", he said, speaking in Cape Town at a memorial service for anti-apartheid stalwart Ahmed Kathrada. "Unite our movement, unite our country around one goal", Ramaphosa said, as quoted by the BBC.
GOP Rep. Jason Chaffetz Will Not Run for Re-Election in 2018
Get great content delivered straight to your inbox every morning Monday-Friday at 8:00am, just a click away, Sign Up Now. House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) speaks during a business meeting in February.
The DA will continue to fight for the people of South Africa, who have always been forgotten by the ANC.
Gordhan's speech was greeted with loud cheers in the packed cathedral, with some people holding up posters saying: "Zuma must go".
"We mean the fundamental change in the structure, systems, institutions and patterns of ownership, management and control of the economy in favor of South Africans, especially the poor", Zuma said in a speech to members of local government.
Analysts do not expect Zuma to step down, despite public and media pressure. Jonas had meant to stay on at Parliament but realised after yesterday's briefing from the ANC's national working committee that the party will not allow its MPs to vote with their conscience on April 18.
South Africans from different walks of life will take part in the countrywide protests on Friday demanding that President Zuma should resign.
From Durban, Peter Granitz reports for NPR that Zuma's sacking of well-respected Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan was particularly controversial: "He was replaced by a Zuma loyalist [Malusi Gigaba] with no experience at the National Treasury".
The ANC's National Working Committee held a lengthy meeting on Tuesday night where President Zuma's fate was discussed.
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