Nhlanhla Nene — who recently made the news when his chair collapsed under him during a television interview — will be sworn in as Deputy Minister of Finance, the presidency said on Wednesday.

Other deputies to be sworn in on Wednesday afternoon include the Deputy Minister of Education, advocate Hurtley André Gaum, and Fatima Hajaig, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Nene currently chairs parliament's finance committee.

The Congress of SA Trade Unions has welcomed the appointment.

"We are confident that he will continue with the good work he has done as chairperson of the National Assembly's Finance Committee, where he has proved himself to be positive and open-minded, willing to debate issues rather than try impose a rigid ideological view," Cosatu said in a statement on Wednesday.

The trade union congress said it looked forward to working closely with Nene in "implementing the economic policies adopted in the resolutions of the ANC Polokwane Conference and the Alliance Summit meetings."

Nene takes the place of Jabu Molketi who resigned after former president Thabo Mbeki was axed in September.

Eastern Cape Finance MEC Enoch Godongwana, who was expected by many to take Moleketi's place, could not be a candidate as he was not eligible for appointment as a member of parliament.

All deputy ministers must be MPs — a title Nene already holds.

Nene — who is from KwaZulu-Natal — earned a BCom Honours degree from the University of the Western Cape.

He then studied for a postgraduate degree at the University of London.

Sapa

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