Ramaphosa panned for sparing Dlamini
THE ANC-led alliance has defended President Cyril Ramaphosa amid criticism from opposition parties over his decision to keep embattled ministers in his cabinet reshuffle yesterday.
Ramaphosa announced that the shake-up to his cabinet was aimed at filling vacant posts left by the late minister of environmental affairs Edna Molewa and former home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba, who resigned under pressure last week.
Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Siyabonga Cwele has replaced Gigaba, while Communications Minister Nomvula Mokonyane has replaced Molewa.
Opposition parties have slammed Ramaphosa for not firing former social development minister, now Minister of Women in the Presidency, Bathabile Dlamini, and Mokonyane, both of whom had left their previous departments in a shambles.
Earlier this month, the DA launched a court application to have Ramaphosa’s decision to keep Dlamini and Gigaba when he reshuffled his cabinet after taking over from former president Jacob Zuma declared invalid, as they had been found to have lied under oath.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane said Ramaphosa’s decision to spare Dlamini yesterday meant that he intended to defend her from the court bid to have her appointment declared invalid due to her having lied to the Constitutional Court.
“It is inconceivable that such a person could hold executive office in any constitutional democracy. Bathabile Dlamini deserves to be fired, and President Ramaphosa’s failure to do so suggests he endorses her conduct,” Maimane said.
SACP national spokesperson Alex Mashilo said it was disingenuous for the DA to expect Ramaphosa to fire Dlamini in his reshuffle, as they had chosen the court process and not the political one.
Ramaphosa also announced his decision to merge the Communication and the Telecommunication and Postal Services departments into one, and has appointed Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams as the new minister.