Ramaphosa to delay Cabinet reshuffle
JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa will hold off on reshuffling his executive until after the presentation of the annual budget next week, according to members of the governing party’s national working committee, which was briefed on his plans on Monday.
Ramaphosa didn’t specify when the long- awaited changes would be made, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorised to comment. Finance Minister Enoch Gondongwana is scheduled to present the budget on February 22.
The Public Service and Administration minister ’s post hasn’t been filled on a permanent basis for almost a year, while the position of Transport minister will soon become vacant, with incumbent Fikile Mbalula set to resign to take up a full-time post as secretary- general of the governing African National Congress( ANC). Ramaphosa also announced plans in his State of the Nation address last week to appoint a new electricity minister within his office to tackle ongoing power outages.
The NWC, which oversees the day- today running of the ANC, has ‘ advised that the president should be provided the space to outline clear plans’ to reconfigure the government to ensure it is more responsive and can deliver on its commitments, the party said in a statement. “The NWC anticipates that these plans will be outlined from February.”
Vincent Magwenya, the President’s
Spokesman, said he couldn’t comment on the ANC panel’s deliberations.
Ramaphosa needs to act hastily because confidence in his administration has been undermined by its handling of the nation’s electricity crisis, one of the people said.
Among the considerations Ramaphosa will have to take into account are the personal dynamics between Pr a vin Gordhan, the Public Enterprises Minister who oversees Eskom, and Gwede Mantashe, t he Energy Minister and ANC chairman who has overarching responsibility for power supply. The two have differed over how best to tackle the outages, known locally as load- shedding, and the performance of outgoing Eskom CEO André de Ruyter.