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Finance Minister Musical Chairs highlights times of crisis

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Presidents may come and go, CEO’s may come and go and the populace or shareholders will only feel a sense of disquiet.

BUT, mess with the country’s pocket by hiring and firing Finance Minister’s and the world takes notice – often to a country’s everlasting detriment.

Since 1910 South Africa has had a total of 23 Finance Ministers – only one of whom was not affiliated to any political power – Chris Liebenberg who served from 19 September 1994 to 4 April 1996.

From 1910 to 1994 South Africa had 17 Finance Ministers who each spent an average of 3.76 years in the job.

From 1994 to date South Africa has had 6 Finance Ministers who each spent an average of 1.83 years in the job – a statistic made alarming by our President Jacob Zumas musical chairs policy.

The longest serving Finance Minister since 1994 was Trevor Manuel who served (technically) under all four South African Presidents from 4 April 1996 to 10 May 2009 (Jacob Zuma came into power on 9 May 2009 and replaced Manuel with Pravin Gordhan on 10 May 2009.

Nothing (except a dictatorship!) says more about stability than a Finance Minister steering the ship called Budget for more than thirteen years whilst around him/her politicians and presidents come and go.

The only Finance Minister to serve South Africa for longer than Manuel was Nicolaas Havenga (born 1882 and died 1957) who served under the National Party for 15 years from 1924 to 1939.

Now consider this – under the Jacob Zuma Presidency and over 6 years (9 May 2009 to date) we have seen FIVE changes in Finance Minister:

  1. Trevor Manuel (born in 1956): 4 April 1996 – 10 May 2009
  2. Pravin Gordhan (born in 1949): 11 May 2009 – 25 May 2014
  3. Nhlanhla Nene (born in 1958): 25 May 2014 – 9 December 2015
  4. David Van Rooyen: 9 December 2015 – 13 December 2015
  5. Pravin Gordhan (born in 1949): 14 December 2015 – Present

What a sad sad indictment of our country and it’s finances.

Look at it purely from a numbers point of view.

The average number of years an incumbent stayed as Finance Minister:

  • Under the National Party – 6.77
  • Under the United Party – 5
  • Under the ANC – 3.25
  • Under the South African Party – 2.33
  • Under Jacob Zuma – 1

South Africa’s 23 Finance Ministers to date:

  1. Henry Charles Hull (1866–1942): South African Party – 1910–1912
  2. Jan Smuts (1870–1950): South African Party – 1912–1915
  3. David Pieter de Villiers Graaff (1859–1931): South African Party – 1915–1916
  4. Henry Burton (1857–1937): South African Party – 1916–1917
  5. Thomas Orr (1870–1950): South African Party – 1917–1920
  6. Henry Burton (1857–1937): South African Party – 1920–1924
  7. Nicolaas Havenga (1882–1957): National Party – 1924–1939
  8. Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr (1894–1948): United Party – 1939–1948
  9. Claud Sturrock (1882–1958): United Party – 1948
  10. Nicolaas Havenga (1882–1957): National Party – 1948–1954
  11. Eric Louw (1890–1968): National Party – 1954–1956
  12. Jozua François Naudé (1889–1969): National Party – 1956–1961
  13. Theophilus Donges (1898–1968): National Party – 1961–1967
  14. Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs (1903–1978): National Party – 1967–1975
  15. Owen Horwood (1916–1998): National Party – 1975–1984
  16. Barend du Plessis (born in 1940): National Party – 1984–1992
  17. Derek Keys (born in 1931): National Party – 1992–1994
  18. Chris Liebenberg (born in 1934): Non-affiliated – 19 September 1994 – 4 April 1996
  19. Trevor Manuel (born in 1956): ANC – 4 April 1996 – 10 May 2009
  20. Pravin Gordhan (born in 1949): ANC – 11 May 2009 – 25 May 2014
  21. Nhlanhla Nene (born in 1958): ANC – 25 May 2014 – 9 December 2015
  22. David Van Rooyen: ANC – 9 December 2015 – 13 December 2015
  23. Pravin Gordhan (born in 1949): ANC – 14 December 2015 – Present
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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.