President Zuma hires South Africa's third finance chief in a week

Shock announcement restoring Pravin Gordhan to post sends the rand surging after a selling frenzy in markets

President Jacob Zuma appointed Pravin Gordhan as finance minister on Sunday, in a dramatic U-turn that gave South Africa its third finance chief in a week after a selling frenzy in the markets.

The shock announcement restoring Gordhan to the post sent the rand surging nearly 5% on Sunday evening, but failed to quell a tide of criticism of the president. "This is reckless by President Zuma, he is playing Russian roulette with the South African economy," opposition Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane said.