The African National Congress and its alliance partners Cosatu and the SACP were satisfied with President Jacob Zuma’s reasoning for his actions over the past week, Cosatu President Sdumo Dlamini said on Tuesday.

Zuma had held a meeting with the Congress of SA Trade Unions and the SA Communist Party on Friday night to explain why he had replaced Nhlanhla Nene with David van Rooyen as the new finance minister.

“The meeting with the alliance happened on Friday evening for almost four hours,” Dlamini told reporters in Johannesburg.

“The president took us on about one and a half hour explanation including the reasons behind his actions and we were satisfied with his explanation.”

Dlamini also downplayed claims that the ANC brand had been tarnished since the decision, which affected the country’s currency negatively.

“The brand is safe, because it responded to the cries of South Africans. The president has responded very positively to the cries of South Africans.” News24