Newly appointed ministers sworn in after Ramaphosa’s cabinet reshuffle

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s newly appointed ministers have been sworn in after the reconfiguration of his cabinet on Thursday night.

The short ceremony, officiated by acting chief justice Raymond Zondo, took place at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Friday.

Newly appointed finance minister Enoch Godongwana, minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele and health minister Dr Joe Phaahla took an oath promising to serve South Africans honestly and with integrity.

Thereafter deputy ministers were sworn in, namely deputy health minister Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, deputy communications minister Philly Mapulane, deputy mineral resources minister Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, and deputy minister of public service and administration Dr Chana Pilane-Majake.

TimesLIVE reported on Thursday evening that Ramaphosa made radical changes to his cabinet security cluster after weeks of public pressure, moving state security minister Ayanda Dlodlo to the public administration portfolio and firing defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.

Where the State Security Agency (SSA) is concerned, Ramaphosa went a step further than a ministerial change, scrapping the ministry altogether and placing its political oversight within the presidency under deputy minister Zizi Kodwa.

Ramaphosa also appointed Dr Sydney Mufamadi, who last year led a review panel that investigated shenanigans at the SSA, as his new national security adviser.

Police minister Bheki Cele was the only minister to retain his position in the security cluster.

Ramaphosa told the nation he had accepted the resignation of disgraced former health minister Zweli Mkhize and accepted a request to leave office from finance minister Tito Mboweni.

The president’s hand was seemingly forced into the cabinet changes after ministers in the security cluster publicly pointed fingers at each other over the failed insurrection that led to the deaths of more than 300 people and damaged infrastructure worth billions of rand in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

Ramaphosa labelled the mayhem as an insurrection, but Mapisa-Nqakula publicly contradicted him. Dlodlo and Cele also publicly clashed over an intelligence report related to the looting and riots.

Ramaphosa sacked minister Mapisa-Nqakula from the defence portfolio, saying she would be deployed to a new position which has not been announced. She has been replaced by National Assembly speaker Thandi Modise.

Other ministers who were moved include acting minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who will now serve as minister of communications and digital technology.

Former tourism minister and acting minister of health Mmamoloko Kubayi is the new human settlements minister.

Former state security minister Ayanda Dlodlo takes over a position previously held by Senzo Mchunu, while Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams is now small business development minister.

Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has moved to tourism and Mchunu is water and sanitation minister. 

TimesLIVE