Is Pravin Gordhan on his way out?

Speculation is rife that it's all part of a plan to fire finance minister Pravin Gordhan and replace him with Molefe.

"This is the strongest indication yet that there will be a cabinet reshuffle. No one would expect that Molefe would be a backbencher. One can also speculate that either the finance ministry, trade and industry or economic development would be some of the ministries that are likely to be in the hands of Molefe." says Fikeni

He says Molefe's move to Parliament is a signal for change.

"That change could cause a ranker within the ANC and its tripartite alliance members given that there is still a cloud unexplained around Molefe's resignation from Eskom as well as his relationship with the Guptas," Fikeni adds.

LISTEN: Brian Molefe heads to Parliament

Molefe resigned from his post at Eskom last year soon after being implicated in the Public Protector's State of Capture report.

Among the revelations made - it laid bare Molefe's relationship with the Gupta family. 

Phone records revealed Molefe spoke to one of the Gupta brothers more than 50 times in eight months - amid speculation Eskom awarded a Gupta-owned company a coal supply tender unlawfully.

Fikeni says this may increase speculation that some within the ANC, like the Youth League know something others do not know. 

Just hours ahead of the announcement that Molefe would become an MP, the ANC Youth League renewed its campaign for Gordhan to be axed. 

The league has accused national treasury of protecting white monopoly capital.

ANC secretary general Njabula Nzuza says: "Comrade Pravin must be redeployed. They should get someone who is going to start cracking the whip in Treasury. The people in Treasury must have the appetite to pursue the development agenda of South Africa and not to protect white monopoly capital."

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This comes less than a week before Gordhan delivers his budget speech. 

Edited by: Faith Daniels