Politics
Jacob Zuma Reshuffles His Cabinet
South African President Jacob Zuma has replaced well -respected Finance minister, Pravin Gordhan and promoted his deputy, Nhlanhla Nene to the key post in a surprise reshuffle. Gordhan is now the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister. Zuma revealed this and other appointments on Sunday evening, a day after his inauguration as South Africa’s president for the next five years.
It seems Zuma took no chances in appointing his new cabinet that will have to implement policies for the next five years with some new faces making the cut. He announced the new cabinet with 35 ministerial portfolios named. There are 20 men and 15 women in the executive.
Economists like Iraj Abedian welcomed the appointment of Nene and said he is the “right” man for the job. Nene has been Gordhan’s deputy for the past five years. As expected, Zuma appointed unionist turned businessman, Cyril Ramaphosa as his deputy. A new ministry of small business development has been established and will be led by Zuma’s former international relations advisor, Lindiwe Zulu.
And in the much speculated security cluster shake-up, Nkosinathi Nhleko from the Labour department replaced Nathi Mthethwa as Police minister. Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and Angie Motsheka were retained as Health and Basic Education respectively. According to ANC secretary general, Gwede Mantashe, “It is our belief that the Cabinet, as announced, espouses the qualities necessary for the task ahead, guided by the National Development Plan, to decisively confront unemployment, poverty, and inequality in an equitable and accountable manner.”
He said the ANC welcomed the “bold and decisive” step by Zuma to re-organise and re-focus government departments. He also went on to say, “We believe that these changes will lead to greater cost effectiveness and more effective monitoring of the work of government. The number of government ministries has not increased as a result.”
The opposition Democratic Alliance’s Helen Zille said Zuma’s cabinet has “only grown bigger” but she was happy Pravin Gordhan will be moving to Co-operative Governance. During the ANC’s election campaign problems at local government were at the heart of the hundreds of service delivery protests.
Former ministers who have been excluded in Zuma’s new cabinet include, Paul Mashatile, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Sibu Ndebele and Connie September. Political analyst, Sipho Seepe said Zuma has in the past showed “judgment failure” in his appointments and “the appointments should never be about a vendetta against people”.
