The sack of former finance minister, Pravin Gordhan has thrown the ruling ANC party into chaos, creating one of its biggest tests since leading the fight against apartheid.
The first revolt came from the vice President Cyril Ramaphosa, who launched a verbal attack on President Jacob Zuma, whose midnight reshuffle sent the rand plunging and triggered accusations that he was promoting graft.
Zuma’s axing of finance minister Pravin Gordhan also unleashed a wave of opposition in the ANC.
ANC came to power under Nelson Mandela in the euphoric 1994 elections but has suffered declining support.
Gordhan was widely seen as a competent manager of one of the world’s most important emerging economies.