Solid Gold Saturday

With a cabinet reshuffle confirmed by the South African Communist Party (SACP) only a day after struggle stalwart Ahmed Kathrada's funeral, Associate Editor at the _Daily Maverick _Ranjeni Munsamy says this week's events may signal a change in the trajectory of the African National Congress.

On Wednesday Kgalema Motlanthe read a quote from a letter Ahmed Kathrada's wrote, asking President Jacob Zuma to resign last year.

The former president received a standing ovation from many in the crowd, including several cabinet ministers when he read out parts of the letter.

He said: "Comrade Kathy continues bluntly if not arrogantly, 'In the face of such persistently widespread criticism, condemnation and demand, is it asking too much to express the hope that you will choose the correct way that is gaining momentum, to consider stepping down?"

On Thursday the SACP confirmed that President Jacob Zuma told officials he planned to fire Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas.

The alliance partner has made it clear that it does not support the intended cabinet reshuffle and has not ruled out the possibility of their members resigning from Cabinet.

You can't act with impunity when you are in leadership position, particularly when you are living in a sophisticated country like ours.

— Solly Mapaila, SACP second deputy general secretary

The alliance is not about to break as yet, the alliance is much stronger, it has faced more challenges...An individual must leave their government position if they so believe those positions belong to them and they abuse them. It is not the alliance that must go it is the individual that must go.

— Solly Mapaila, SACP second deputy general secretary

Listen to the full interview with the SACP's Solly Mapaila below...

Munsamy says the SACP has 'brought the fight'.

Yesterday's funeral of Ahmed Kathrada was basically a turning point and from what happened there you could sense that there was going to be a major shift in South African politics. I think today's SACP conference was definitely that.

— Ranjeni Munsamy ,Associate Editor at the Daily Maverick

They basically want whoever is going to remove Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas to leave.

— Ranjeni Munsamy ,Associate Editor at the Daily Maverick

Click on the link below to listen to the full interview with Ranjeni Munsamy...

This article first appeared on 702 : "SACP are bringing the fight"