Twitter’s meme game is strong right now. Maybe it’s because the holidays are almost upon us, or maybe it’s just the result of so much recent practice; but on Sunday night, when President Jacob Zuma announced that he was shuffling off his new finance minister for another new finance minister (well, actually an old one), Twitter brought the funny. THE DAILY VOX TEAM rounded up seven of the best.
President Jacob Zuma shocked the nation last week when he axed Nhlanhla Nene from the position of finance minister without explanation and replaced him with little-known backbencher David Van Rooyen. The markets tanked and the criticisms rolled in. Four days later, Zuma backtracked and replaced Van Rooyen with former, former finance minister Pravin Gordhan, a respected and trusted figure in the finance world.
People found it really hard to wrap their heads around Van Rooyen’s four-day term as finance minister. He’d only just been sworn in.
David Van Rooyen’s term as Finance Minster pic.twitter.com/jpVxbkm4uL
— Ryan Cummings (@Pol_Sec_Analyst) December 13, 2015
And hadn’t even had a full day at the office yet.
HOW YOU GET FIRED ON YOUR DAY OFF FROM A JOB YOU HAVEN’T EVEN STARTED? — Dab Daddy (@WyzeeQue) December 13, 2015
It felt like a bit of a joke really.
“Just for the weekend, ne.” pic.twitter.com/xMWSjqtTQ6
— Lester Kiewit (@lesterkk) December 13, 2015
In fact, even after reading (and re-reading) the Presidency’s statement, you couldn’t quite escape the feeling that it was all one big prank.
So I fired the one guy. And everyone said ‘wtf?!’ so I fired the new guy too. pic.twitter.com/onH4D8Sncv — Khadija Patel (@khadijapatel) December 13, 2015
And why, many asked, did these sudden announcements keep cropping up just as South Africans were settling in for the evening?
SA ministers now dreading after hours calls from @PresidencyZA. #NeneFired #GordhansBack #DesWho pic.twitter.com/MkOxsx7Cll
— faranaaz (@faranaaz) December 13, 2015
Gordhan might bring some stability, but still you had to wonder if there might not be another reassignment on the cards.
This one tops it… #Zuma pic.twitter.com/IsSuBEhV9G — Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) December 13, 2015
Given the post’s recent history, you had to ask, does Gordhan really know what he’s getting himself into?
Welcome to your seat, Minister of Finance. pic.twitter.com/MRmJYlQhTb
— Nico du Toit (@closebutnocigar) December 13, 2015
– Featured image via GCIS on Flickr
