Now that President Cyril Ramaphosa has finally shuffled his Cabinet after a two month delay, the new ministers are expected to be sworn in on Tuesday, 7 March.
The Presidency said President Cyril Ramaphosa would officiate at the swearing-ceremony of new members of the National Executive which is expected to take place at Tuynhuys in Cape Town at 6pm.
Bloated Cabinet
Ramaphosa said he wanted to reduce the size of his Cabinet, but actually expanded it by adding two new ministries, which is expected to cost the taxpayer and additional R40m per year.
Kgosientsho Ramokgopa will be South Africa’s first electricity minister while Maropene Ramokgopa will take up the portfolio of Minister in the Presidency responsible for planning, monitoring and evaluation.
Reshuffle
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Ramaphosa reshuffled the national executive to ensure that government is properly capacitated.
“This is to give effect to the commitments made in the State of the Nation Address and the budget speech. Chief Justice Raymond Zondo will preside over the swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed members of the national executive.”
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Fired
After several delays in Ramaphosa‘s much anticipated family meeting, three ministers were also fired including Lindiwe Sisulu, who served for 22 years as a Cabinet member and leading eight government departments.
The other two ministers that were given the chop on Monday included Nathi Mthethwa and Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.
Survived
Other ministers who survived Ramaphosa’s axe despite not returning to the ANC NEC include Angie Motshekga, Naledi Pandor, Pravin Gordhan, Blade Nzimande and Thulas Nxesi.
Motshekga is the minister of basic education, Pandor the minister of international relations and co-operation while Gordhan is the political head of public enterprises and Nzimande is at the helm of the Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.
Nxesi is the minister of employment and labour while also acting at public service and administration.
Optimistic
Ramaphosa was optimistic about the new changes.
“All members of the executive have been directed to focus on those agreed actions that will make a meaningful change now [and] that will also enable real progress within the next year,” he said.
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