CHARLES MOLELE|
IN a clear sign that he is consolidating his power and control, President Cyril Ramaphosa has masterfully made changes to his national executive, appointing close allies to key positions in government and doing away with the Ministry of State Security and placing political responsibility for the State Security Agency in the Presidency.
The move will clearly bolster confidence among South Africans that he is serious about his promise to ensure ‘accountability’ and ‘consequence management’ following the mishandling of the pro-Zuma riots in July that claimed more than 300 lives and razed thousands of businesses to the ground.
Ramaphosa has been under pressure to make adjustments to his Cabinet for a while now, with pressure mounting when security cluster ministers were unprepared for last month’s deadly violence and looting.
On Thursday, following a meeting with alliance leaders and ANC’s top five, the party’s national working committee (NWC) members urged Ramaphosa to deal decisively with the security ministers.
Unveiling his changes to the national executive, Ramaphosa announced that the minister who will be tasked with overseeing State Security will be new minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele.
Gungubele’s deputies are Pinky Kekana and ‘super-spy’ Zizi Kodwa, who Ramaphosa said would be appointed as deputy minister in the presidency responsible for state security.
Ramaphosa also appointed Dr Sydney Mufamadi as his National Adviser in what is meant to improve support to the President and the National Security Council in the strategic management of the country’s security.
The national adviser position has been vacant since Charles Nqakula stepped down earlier this year.
The move to beef up State Security and place it within the Presidency is to ensure maximum availability of and access to intelligence information within the Intelligence community and ensure that timely and objective national intelligence is provided to the President.
“This is to ensure that the country’s domestic and foreign intelligence services more effectively enable the President to exercise his responsibility to safeguard the security and integrity of the nation,” said Ramaphosa, adding that the department of state security would now be part of the presidency.
“While calm has been restored to the affected areas and our law enforcement agencies are working hard to bring those responsible to justice, we have acknowledged that our security services were found wanting in several respects.”
Some analysts have questioned Ramaphosa’s decision to move State Security into the Presidency, saying the move was dangerous and could lead to the abuse of power and Russian-style intelligence gathering and collection activities similar to those of the dreaded “GRU – or Main Intelligence Directorate”.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen also criticised Ramaphosa’s decision to move State Security into the Office of the President, saying it was a “terrible” idea and reminiscent of the apartheid regime’s South African Bureau for State Security established in 1969, and later replaced by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) in 1980.
The Bureau’s job was to monitor national security.
“We do not welcome is the shifting of State Security into the Presidency. The country’s intelligence machinery should not rest in the hands of the president – this centralising of power has never been a good idea,” said Steenhuisen.
“Tonight’s reshuffle also should have been an opportunity to fire both Police Minister Bheki Cele and State Security Minister Ayanda Dlodlo for their catastrophic failure to foresee, prevent and respond to the unrest and looting three weeks ago. The fact that Minister Cele stays in his post and Minister Dlodlo is simply shuffled off to Public Service shows that we are yet to see any accountability in the Executive.”
IFP leader Narend Singh said Ramaphosa’s decision to centralise power in the Presidency was ‘problematic’ and a major concern to his party.
Ramaphosa also appointed ANC’s head of economic transformation and the chair of Development Bank of South Africa Enoch Godongwana as the new Finance Minister, replacing Tito Mboweni who has asked to be excused from his position.
The request from Mboweni, who took up the position following the sudden departure of former minister Nhlanhla Nene in October 2018, had been a long-standing one, Ramaphosa said.
“Since then, he has effectively and ably steered National Treasury through extremely difficult economic times, providing stability and instilling confidence,” he added.
“I am grateful to Minister Mboweni for responding to the call to serve our nation at its time of need.”
The deputy health minister Joe Phaahla will head the health ministry, Ramaphosa said during his Cabinet reshuffle.
Phaahla replaces Zweli Mkhize who has also resigned after being on special leave for almost two months on allegations that his department irregularly awarded COVID-19-related contracts to a communications company controlled by his former associates.
Mkhize had also requested the president to allow him to step down “in order to bring certainty and stability to this important portfolio.”
“I am grateful to Minister Mkhize for his service, and particularly for the outstanding leadership he has provided in the face of the worst pandemic in over a century,” he said.
Among the other changes announced by the President is the separation of the Ministry of Human Settlements from the Ministry of Water and Sanitation. The two portfolios were brought together understanding that the provision of water is closely tied to the development of human settlements.
“However, the reality is that water is a far broader issue, impacting not only on human settlements, but also on agriculture, industry, mining and environmental management,“ said Ramaphosa.
“Water is our country’s most critical natural resource. Water security is fundamental to the lives and health of our people, to the stability of our society and to the growth and sustainability of our economy. We have therefore decided that water and sanitation should be a separate Ministry, which will enable a dedicated focus on ensuring that all South Africans have access to a secure and sustainable supply of this precious resource.”
Ramaphosa also appointed an expert panel” to lead a thorough and critical review of our preparedness and the shortcomings in our response as part of critical measures to strengthen the South African security services and to prevent a recurrence of the recent violent riots”.
The members of the panel include Professor Sandy Africa as chair, advocate Mojanku Gumbi and Silumko Sokupa.
“The panel will examine all aspects of our security response and will make recommendations on strengthening our capabilities,” said Ramaphosa.
“The task of rebuilding our economy and our society requires urgency and focus. It requires cooperation among all sectors of society and the active involvement of all South Africans.”
“As this administration, as this collective, we are unwavering in our determination to build a capable state, one which is ably led and which effectively serves the needs of the people.”
New ministerial appointments:
– The Presidency: Mondli Gungubele
– Communications and Digital Technologies: Khumbudzo Ntshavheni
– Defence and Military Veterans: Thandi Modise
– Finance: Enoch Godongwana
– Health: Joe Phaahla
– Human Settlements: Mmamoloko Kubayi
– Public Service and Administration: Ayanda Dlodlo
– Small Business Development: Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams
– Tourism: Lindiwe Sisulu
– Water and Sanitation: Senzo Mchunu
New deputy ministers:
– The Presidency: Pinky Kekana will come in as a second Deputy Minister
– Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform: Zoleka Capa
– Communications and Digital Technologies: Philly Mapulane
– Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs: Thembi Nkadimeng
– Health: Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo
– Mineral Resources and Energy: Dr Nobuhle Nkabane
– Public Service and Administration: Dr Chana Pilane-Majake
– Small Business Development: Sdumo Dlamini
– Transport: Sindisiwe Chikunga
– Water and Sanitation: Dikeledi Magadzi
- Inside Politics
