Recently-appointed Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana
Deputy Minister of Economic Development Enoch Godongwana has resigned from his position in order to pursue personal interests, the presidency said on Sunday.
Spokesperson Mac Maharaj said Godongwana’s last day in the position would be on Monday January 16.
“The President has accepted the resignation and thanked the deputy minister for his dedicated service and duty to his portfolio and to the National Executive in general”, he said in a statement.
Godongwana is a member of the ANC’s Economic Transformation Committee. Godongwana is widely regarded in economics, with a Master of Science degree in financial economics from the University of London.
He is also a former deputy minister of public enterprises and continues to be a member of the ruling party’s Economic Transformation Committee.
Involvement in missing millions
Late in 2011, the Mail & Guardian wrote of subpoenaed bank records used in the clothing workers’ R100-million pension fund inquiry, in which money was “mysteriously loaned to Canyon Springs Investments 12″. The company is “50% owned by Godongwana and his wife, Thandiwe.”
President Jacob Zuma said Godongwana’s work experience and expertise would not be entirely lost to the public but would be used elsewhere in pursuing the goal of meaningful economic transformation. –Additional reporting by Sapa