Nene, Gordhan in stunning comeback
• Ramaphosa names ‘unity’ cabinet • Mbalula, Bongo, Van Rooyen, Brown and Muthambi out
President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a compromise Cabinet to lead his government into the 2019 national election.
To appease a deeply divided ANC after the party’s elective battle in December at Nasrec, he appointed a mixed bag of ministers from the two main factions in the party.
Nhlanhla Nene and Pravin Gordhan both make stunning comebacks as finance and public enterprise ministers respectively.
Nene returns to the helm of the National Treasury after he was axed by former president Jacob Zuma in 2015. Gordhan was put in place to steer stateowned enterprises to recovery after years of mismanagement, political interference and governance failures, with devastating effects on the economy.
Ramaphosa’s reshuffle saw 10 ministers fired and 10 new appointments made, bringing sweeping change to the Cabinet, which is set to remain in place until the general election in 2019. He appointed former Mpumalanga premier David Mabuza as deputy president.
Ramaphosa’s opponent in the ANC’s elective conference in December, Nkosazana DlaminiZuma, is to be minister in the Presidency responsible for monitoring and planning.
Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini is to be the minister in the Presidency responsible for women.
Former Ekurhuleni mayor and MP Mondli Gungubele enters the Treasury as deputy minister of finance.
Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe replaces David Mahlobo as energy minister and ANC chairman Gwede Mantashe replaces Mosebenzi Zwane as mineral resources minister. The ministries of trade and industry, and economic development were unaffected by the shake-up, with ministers
2019 year of the next national election
Rob Davies and Ebrahim Patel respectively, remaining in their posts. Former ANC treasurer Zweli Mkhize enters the cabinet as co-operative government minister. Lindiwe Sisulu takes over as international relations minister, while former police commissioner Bheki Cele takes over from Fikile Mbalula as police minister. Naledi Pandor is moving to head higher education, while minister Hlengiwe Mkhize was dropped.
Ramaphosa appointed former home affairs minister Ayanda Dlodlo to head public service and administration and former finance minister Malusi Gigaba moves back to home affairs, a post he had held until March 2017.
Ramaphosa axed most of the controversial ministers, including Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane, Mbalula, State Security Minister Bongani Bongo, Co-operative Governance Minister Des Van Rooyen, Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown and Public Service and Administration Minister Faith Muthambi.
Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, the deputy minister of public service and administration, was promoted to state security minister. Water Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane was named new communication minister and Rural Development and Land Affairs minister Gugile Nkwinti now heads water affairs.
International Affairs Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane moves to the rural development and land portfolio. Lindiwe Sisulu takes over at international Affairs. Derek Hanekom has been reappointed tourism minister. Former minister in the presidency Susan Shabangu moves to social development.
Ramaphosa’s announcement was delayed by more than an hour. “In making these changes, I have been conscious of the need to balance continuity and stability with the need for renewal, economic recovery and accelerated transformation,” Ramaphosa said, announcing the changes at the Union Buildings on Monday night.
He said he had started reviewing the configuration of the Cabinet in terms of the size and number of national ministries and departments, but the reshuffle would not introduce these changes.
“We will retain the existing ministries and departments until that review is completed,” Ramaphosa said.