PHUTI MOSOMANE
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday announced his new Cabinet, which saw the rise of two former ANC Youth League leaders, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and Maropene Ramokgopa, join the Office of The President at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Ntshavheni replaced Mondli Gungubele as Minister in the Presidency where she will be responsible for various tasks, ranging from the State Security Agency (SSA) to managing Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) as well as “various other tasks I will allocate to her”.
Ramokgopa, on the other hand, got the nod as Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation.
Ramokgopa’s appointment was highly anticipated following her election to as ANC’s second Deputy Secretary-General. Ramokgopa is the President’s former Special Advisor on International Relations.
The appointment of the two young, energetic ministers with strong ANC Youth League backgrounds in the Presidency means the two young women are now firmly ensconced in the President’s inner circle, and forms part of his “Kitchen Cabinet”.
Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the “Iron Lady” in charge of the Presidency
Ntshavheni holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom. She is also a graduate of the Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), where she read for her undergraduate degree in Political Science and concurrently completed two postgraduate degrees in Development Studies and Labour Relations.
She matriculated from Mbilwi Secondary school in Sibasa, Limpopo, one of the best performing public schools in South Africa.
She started her career as a junior lecturer at the University of South Africa (UNISA), and then proceeded to be South Africa’s youngest and first female Spokesperson of the then Limpopo Premier Ngoako ramatlhodi. She later worked as a Chief Information Officer for the Department of Local Government and Housing in Limpopo. Ntshavheni was once the youngest Municipal Manager in South Africa when she worked in that position for the Ba- Phalaborwa Municipal Council and also worked as Chief Operations Officer at the State IT Agency (SITA).
Her political career cuts across both the student and youth movements.
She was the youngest activist and part of the leadership of the South African Youth Congress (SAYCO) in the then Northern Transvaal.
She is also the former ANC Youth League National Executive Committee (NEC) member during Julius Malema’s tenure.
She was appointed the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies on 05 August 2021. She was previously appointed Minister for Small Business Development on 29 May 2019 and acting Minister in the Presidency on 27 January 2021 until 05 August 2021.
She is an ANC NEC member who previously chaired the party’s Communications subcommittee.
Maropene Ramaokgopa: Minister for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
Maropene Ramokgopa, the current ANC’s second Secretary-General, was appointed by former President Jacob Zuma to represent South Africa as the head of mission in Mumbai, India, in 2016.
Ramokgopa served in the position for four years. She also served on the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL).
In 2013, following the youth league’s disbandment, Zuma recommended her to be in the national task team of the new ANCYL. In 2008, she became a member of the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) in Limpopo. She also co-founded the Women’s Desk and wrote its Concept Document. Defending her position as the Special Adviser to President Cyril Ramaphosa on International Relations, she said that she fought for it, which was not handed to her.
Other appointments:
Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is now a minister in the presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities.
Mondli Gungubele is the minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, while Thembi Nkadimeng is the minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
The Public Service and Administration minister is Noxolo Kiviet, and former KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala is now the minister of Public Works and Infrastructure.
Several deputy ministers have also been appointed.
- Deputy Ministers in the Presidency: Nomasonto Motaung and Kenneth Morolong
- Deputy Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities: Sisisi Tolashe
- Deputy Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation: Pinky Kekana
- Two Deputy Ministers for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs: Parks Tau and Zolile Burns-Ncamashe
- Two Deputy Ministers for Water and Sanitation: David Mahlobo and Judith Tshabalala
- Deputy Minister of Public Works: Bernice Swarts
- Deputy Minister of Small Business Development: Dipuo Peters
- Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises: Obed Bapela
- Deputy Minister of Transport: Lisa Mangcu
New ministers|
- Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma
- Minister in the Presidency responsible for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa
- Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele,
- Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Thembi Nkadimeng,
- Minister of Public Service and Administration, Noxolo Kiviet,
- Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala,
- Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Zizi Kodwa,
- Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille,
- Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga.
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