President Cyril Ramaphosa has finally announced what has been dubbed as a more bloated Cabinet as he had to accommodate the Government of National Unity (GNU) role players after the 2024 elections gave no political party enough votes to govern.
Addressing the South Africans the President said the new cabinet was a reflection of the country’s demographics.
President Ramaphosa said “the incoming government will be effective and that it will have people with experience, the skills and the expertise to deliver on it’s mandate”.
Paul Mashatile remains the Deputy President in the Sixth Administration where the DA got a few strategic appointments like agriculture and public works, Trade, Industry and Competition.
Amongst the appointments in the Cabinet, the Democratic Alliance’s leader John Steenhuisen has been appointment as Minister of Agriculture.
Dean Macpherson has been appointed as Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure which was under former KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala.
Leon Schreiber has been entrusted to oversee Home Affairs while his deputy is Njabulo Nzuza.
Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Velenkosini Hlabisa was appointed as Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
Energy Expert Vally Padayachee has commended President Ramaphosa for keeping Kgosientsho Ramakgopa in the electricity which has been changed to be the Department of Electricity and Energy.
Padayachee said keeping Dr Kamokhopa has been an excellent move because if his engineering background.
He said Dr Ramokgopa has played a significant role in getting Eskom together with the Eskom team ro where ut is now.
Finance Minister remains under the leadership of Enoch Godondwana.
Fomer Basic Minister Angie Motshekga will be joining the Seventh Administration as Minister of Defence while former Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu has been entrusted to help the country in fighting crime and corruption under the Police Minister.
The Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton Mckenzie who had threatened to exit the GNU if he was not given a slice of the pie, has been appointed as the Minister of Arts, Sports and Culture.
The Ministry of Health will be lead by former Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi while the former Health Minister has been allocated to Dr Joe Phaahla who was the Health Minister.
The African National Congress (ANC) has welcomed the Cabinet appointments.
In a statement the ANC said “the formation of the Government of National Unity based on the Statement of Intent is a reflection that all of us must work together to “Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights.” (Constitution of the RSA, 1996). We call on all parties who signed up to the GNU to keep these wise words of the Constitution top of mind, and to put the people of our country first. The ANC-Led GNU Cabinet that will serve and lead the 7th democratic administration is an important step forward, *the party said.
Meanwhile, the ANC alliance partners Cosatu Spokesperson Mathew Parks has said Cosatu welcomes the new Cabinet which he said was inclusive of the GNU formation.
Parks said Cosatu hopes that the new Cabinet will help the working class and also deliver to the needs of South Africans.
Commenting on the fact that the Cabinet has new faces, he said “no kne was born a minister”.
ActionSA parliament leader Athol Trollip said his organisation is disappointed to see that acabinet has become bigger given the fact that more paryies in the GNU have been calling for a smaller and leaner Cabinet.
“We are expecting to see this Cabinet to hit the ground running, said Trollip.
He added that his party is worried that some of the Cabinet appointments were given to people who may not the right fit as they are technical which he said could be a potential problem as it could take slme time in familiarising themselves in the work of the departments.
“We are very pleased to see that the education is now short or rid of Angie Motshekga and Blade Nzimande. But they have been retained in the Cabinet and this is a concern because they have not performed well in the past,” said Trollip.
He said Angie Motshekga’s appointment as Minister of Defense could be the last straw that breaks that department.
Saftu General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi said he was not happy that the Department of Education Minister is from the DA, but he said the ANC has messed up the department with poor results and a broken system.
Former DA Chief Whip and now one of the young ministers, Siviwe Gwarube has been appointed as the Minister of Basic Education while her deputy is Regina Mhaule from the ANC.