When Malusi Gigaba got a call from President Jacob Zuma to say that he would be appointed finance minister‚ his wife Norma told him not to worry and that the rand would “drop and go up”.


“He was frustrated. He was thinking about the rand. Me‚ I was so excited. I told him: baby‚ you will be fine. He was more worried about home affairs‚” Norma said during an interview with eNCA on Sunday.

“I told him the rand will drop and it will go up. I told him I believe in him a lot. He’s such a fast learner and he works hard.”

In the interview‚ Norma set the record straight about her career and made it clear that she met her husband while she was already established.

“A lot of people don’t know I am working. They think I am a trophy wife.”

She said she was an IT specialist and was furthering her studies‚ but did not elaborate.

Norma also took credit for her husband’s impeccable dress sense.

She told eNCA that she does all the shopping for both of them.

“I want him to look good … It’s a sign of good manners. I pick our outfits. But he always changes the tie.”

She also commented on the negative publicity she and Gigaba received when reports emerged of an affair he had with New York-based stylist Buhle Mkhize.

“When it [scandal] came I felt so bad‚ more for our parents. He and I are buddies and we understand each other. We had to explain … We were more worried about the people.”

She said when the news broke‚ she and Gigaba had just arrived from their honeymoon in Dubai.

“We were on cloud nine … I told myself I will leave on my own terms‚ if I want to leave.”