The former Minister of Finance of South Africa told students that politics is not for the faint-hearted during Mangosuthu University of Technology graduation ceremony
Speaking at the MUT graduation ceremony, where he also received an honorary doctorate, the South African ex-Minister of Finance Nhlanhla Nene advised students to engage in public sector activities:
“The challenge of rebuilding our country is enormous. It needs all hands on the deck. I would like to challenge you to consider working in the public sector. Some of you will go into politics, good luck,” he stated, adding that politics is not for everyone.
During the ceremony, Nene underlined the importance of honesty, lack of corruption, hard work and principles to succeed in politics. He also encouraged students to focus on the public sector, as it needs their potential more than ever.
“The call is especially important considering the students graduating today – commerce students with diplomas in accounting. These kinds of skills tend to move towards the private sector, and the public sector still needs those skills.”, he declared for The Mercury.
Active in student politics since the 1970s, Nhlanhla Musa Nene is the former Minister of Finance of South Africa, appointed in May 2014 and removed from his position by South African President Jacob Zuma in December 2015, “to be deployed to another strategic position” as the leader of the New Development Bank/BRICS Bank in Johannesburg. His predecessor Pravin Gordhan was re-appointed as SA’s Finance Minister, while Nene’s nomination to lead BRICS Bank resulted unsuccessful.
