DEPUTY president David Mabuza was not present at the Cabinet’s lekgotla meeting on Thursday amid reports that he has informed President Cyril Ramaphosa of his intention to step down.
Chaired by Ramaphosa, the Lekgotla allows the National Executive to review the performance of government against targets and objectives set in 2022.
The Lekgotla is also a platform for the national leadership to agree on key actions that are needed this year to advance the country’s economic recovery and long-term development, with resolution of the electricity crisis as the top priority.
The Lekgotla resolutions will form the basis of the State of the Nation Address (SONA), which Ramaphosa will deliver to a Joint Sitting of the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces on Thursday, 9 February 2023.
“The Deputy President tendered his apology for the cabinet lekgotla due to a family bereavement. The deputy president lost his brother and is engaged with preparations for the funeral,” Mabuza’s spokesperson Matsepo Seedat said.
Addressing the media on the side-lines of the Lekgotla, Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele confirmed Mabuza’s absence.
“The deputy president has got no history of behaving like a truant or going AWOL. He is a deputy president who has respected his work and I view him in that context and respect his apology on the basis of that history and the knowledge I have of him,” said Gungubele.
“The deputy president has submitted his apology to the president. It’s only the president who can do an evaluation of that, but if he is sick, we cannot determine the frequency and the number of times he gets sick.”
Meanwhile, ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile was sworn in as a Member of Parliament on Thursday and is now ready to be appointed through a Cabinet reshuffle as South Africa’s Deputy President.
Mashatile was elected as ANC Deputy at the ANC’s December National Congress.
Mashatile is replacing Tshilidzi Munyai as a member of the National Assembly.
This follows the resignation of Munyai on Wednesday, 1 February 2023.
“As of the 31st of January, I decided to resign as A Member of Parliament and Whip of Health Portfolio Committee. The African National Congress resolved to redeploy me at Gauteng Provincial Legislature, wherein I will serve under the banner of the African National Congress,” said Munyai earlier on Wednesday.
“Today ,2nd February 2023, @ 13h00 pm, I will be sworn in as Hon Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL) at Gauteng Provincial Legislature. With greatest humility. I am humbled and looking forward to serve the people of Gauteng in particular and South Africa in general.”
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