A clear message
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma reshuffled his cabinet this week, the second one this year and the 12th of his two-term tenure. Unlike recent reshuffles performed close to the dead of night, the president did this one in full daylight, swopping the portfolios of four ministers and one deputy minister, introducing a new minister and firing a veteran.
The last is attracting the most attention because Dr Blade Nzimande was not just one of the most senior members of the cabinet – he also leads the SACP, ostensibly one of the three pillars of the ANC’s famed tripartite alliance. The alliance has tended to exist in nothing but name in recent months as the increasingly bitter and internecine ANC succession battle, due to play out in December, gathers momentum.
On Tuesday the message was unequivocal. In truth, it had been a long time coming. The SACP has long been a vocal critic of “state capture”. It has tended to speak in euphemisms on the issue, although its meaning was always clear. The gloves came off on Tuesday as the party denounced the cabinet reshuffle, pointing its finger unwaveringly at the president for getting rid of its secretary-general who, it must be remembered, was once one of Zuma’s staunchest defenders.
Nobody believes the reshuffle was done for any other reason than to entrench the increasingly embattled – though not weakened – president. It certainly was not done to increase executive efficiency; many will be saddened by the elevation of Ayanda Dlodlo to home affairs after the vigour she showed in cleaning up the SABC.
The appointment of former state security minister David Mahlobo to energy has been seen as extremely sinister, suggesting an urgency in green-lighting the highly controversial Russian nuclear power plant deal, before the president steps down.
Whatever the minutiae, the reality for all is that the race to lead the ruling party entered uncharted territory on Tuesday, with what was tantamount to a public declaration of war by the president on his erstwhile allies.
The real danger remains the collateral damage that could be wrought before the elective conference.