New year’s anticipated Cabinet reshuffle could signal mood and rhythm of Ramaphosa’s second term

Johannesburg – The much anticipated Cabinet reshuffle by President Cyril Ramaphosa has created wide debate among different sectors of society, leaving the country on edge about the president’s next move.

This comes after newly-elected ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula announced that Ramaphosa was considering a cabinet reshuffle.

The president is faced with a decision to replace Mbalula as Minister of Transport following Mbalula’s election as ANC secretary-general.

There were also expectations that Ramaphosa would remove ANC cabinet ministers who opposed him in public, such as Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu.

Some speculated that Ramaphosa would appoint new ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile to replace David Mabuza as the country’s deputy president.

The expected changes would signal the mood and rhythm of Ramaphosa’s second term as ANC president and that of the country.

Cosatu parliamentary representative Matthew Parks called on the president to ensure that he appoints ethical leaders whose integrity has not been questioned.

There were also calls for a generational mix of leaders.

“The president, when he decides upon a cabinet reshuffle, will need to take into account the myriad of existential crises facing South Africa; these range from corruption crippling the capacity of the state to deliver quality public services to rampant electricity load shedding and cable theft suffocating the economy to a dangerously high unemployment rate of 43% and entrenched levels of poverty and inequality,” Parks said.

He said the president needs a team that will work with him, people who are competent and not compromised. Parks said those who would be appointed should have a clean record.

“A cabinet reshuffle, when and if it takes place, is constitutionally determined by the president.

“However in line with the reconfiguration of the alliance that Cosatu has championed, it will be critical for the alliance to be engaged in a cabinet reshuffle whenever it may occur,” Parks said.

On the other hand, ATM president Vuyo Zungula said he believed that the most important change to the government would be the changing of the countries' presidents.

Zungula said Ramaphosa had not explained how he was in possession of millions of dollars from his Phala Phala farm.

He said the Section 89 panel had adverse findings against the president.

“The ATM believes that the fish rots from the head.

“The reshuffle that would make sense is the stepping down of Ramaphosa.

“Anything else will be a reward and consolidation of those who want to bury the Phalaphala FarmGate,” Zungula said.

Meanwhile, political analyst Xolani Dube said it was important, as a matter of principle, for those who opposed Ramaphosa within the ANC to relinquish their posts in parliament to prove to their supporters that they were not happy with the direction the ANC was going.

The Star