Pretoria - South Africa will have a new national executive tonight, the Presidency has confirmed.
Yesterday, presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said a Cabinet reshuffle would take place tonight, weeks after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the establishment of a new ministry of electricity during his State of the Nation Address.
Addressing the media yesterday, Magwenya said the president had to take account of few processes.
These included consultations with the governing party, and considering the parliamentary process of swearing in new members of Parliament while others resigned.
A few Cabinet posts need to be filled, including the electricity portfolio and the public service ministry, which has remained vacant since its former minister, Ayanda Dlodlo, was deployed elsewhere.
It was widely reported that Ramaphosa was due to announce his reconfiguration of his executive on Thursday last week, but this was refuted by Magwenya.
“Contrary to media coverage and speculation on social media platforms, there was no plan for the president to announce changes to Cabinet on Thursday March 2, and as a result, there was no postponement or cancellation of such an announcement.
“Among the tasks the president undertook this week was continued consultation around forthcoming changes to the national executive.
“Having exercised his (Ramaphosa’s) constitutional prerogative, the president will announce the new national executive at 7pm tomorrow (tonight, Monday),” Magwenya said.
The Cabinet reshuffle will end weeks of speculation as to who will be in Ramaphosa’s team and who will be booted from Cabinet.
Among those who were sworn in last month and likely to make the cut for Ramaphosa’s executive are ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile, who will likely be appointed deputy president, replacing David Mabuza who resigned as an MP last week.
Former Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau, former KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala, and new ANC second deputy secretary Maropene Ramokgopa were also sworn in.
They took the places of Tshilidzi Munyai, Mervyn Dirks, Masefako Dikgale, and Matshidiso Mfikoe, who resigned as MPs.
Most of those who resigned are close allies of former president Jacob Zuma, a critic of Ramaphosa.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana was the latest to be sworn in as an MP last week, paving the way for him to retain his position.
Minister of Transport and party secretary-general Fikile Mbalula is also expected to resign before the reshuffle, as his new position is full-time.
Facing the axe is Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, who was a fierce critic of Ramaphosa before his re-election to the ANC presidency at Nasrec in December.
Also facing the chop is Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, who is also a Zuma ally, defied party tradition, voting with the opposition to start processes of impeachment against Ramaphosa involving his Phala Phala matter.
Those who did not make the cut in the national executive committee, like Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa, may also get the boot.
Magwenya said the reshuffle would “reinforce government’s focus”.
Magwenya cleared up reports suggesting that Ramaphosa was initially to announce the reshuffle on Thursday but couldn’t because he had caught the flu, although he was seen at an auction dinner on Friday night.
“Throughout this week, the president has attended to his duties while treating a common cold.
“On Friday March 4, President Ramaphosa honoured an engagement of the Ntaba Nyoni Cattle Stud.”
He said it was a dinner preceding an annual auction, and the dates for the events were scheduled a number of months ago.
Pretoria News