By Johnathan Paoli
The recent Cabinet reshuffle by President Cyril Ramaphosa, involving the reassignment of Minister Thembi Simelane from justice to the human settlements, has ignited widespread condemnation and concerns about the state of governance and accountability in the country.
Critics, including political parties and watchdog groups, have argued that the move reflects a pattern of shielding compromised leaders rather than prioritising effective service delivery.
The Economic Freedom Fighters said on Wednesday the reshuffle was another pointless exercise that would achieve nothing in addressing the suffering of the people of South Africa.
Spokesperson Leigh-Anne Mathys said instead of addressing the real crises facing the country, the DA-ANC coalition government prioritised rewarding its cronies with cushy positions.
“The only Cabinet reshuffle that will bring any meaningful change to the lives of our people is the removal of this bloated and corrupt government, which continues to rob the people of South Africa to sustain the lavish lifestyles of a few political elites,” Mathys said.
She said the reshuffle was part of a broader strategy of recycling compromised leaders, in order to shield corrupt officials and create an illusion of accountability.
The Democratic Alliance denounced Simelane’s appointment, citing her involvement with a company linked to the VBS Bank scandal and irregularities in her personal finances.
Human Settlements spokesperson Luyolo Mphiti labelled her unfit to hold office, emphasising that her new portfolio oversaw an annual budget of R33 billion dedicated to addressing South Africa’s housing crisis.
“For the 13 million South Africans still living in informal settlements, for the 2.5 million still on the housing register list and for the millions of South Africans still awaiting title deeds, the announcement of Thembi Simelane is a slap in the face to them,” Mphiti said.
He demanded Simelane’s removal, asserting that unresolved allegations against her undermined the integrity of her office.
Further controversy surrounds Simelane’s business dealings, with investigative reports revealing that her companies, including T5 Investment Group and Silvanas Events, allegedly showed financial discrepancies between income and expenses.
Bank statements from 2019 and 2020 suggest her businesses were used to fund her lavish lifestyle, with expenses significantly outweighing revenues.
The Public Protector has initiated a probe into allegations that kickbacks from the VBS Bank were used to purchase one of her businesses.
NGO Defend Our Democracy, representing several organisations, including the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and the Fair Labour Practice, called for Simelane to be relieved of her duties in light of Anti-Corruption Week.
“Perceptions of corruption and conflicts of interest cause significant harm to public confidence in governance institutions. If the allegations against Minister Simelane were deemed sufficiently serious for her to be removed from the justice portfolio, they are of sufficient seriousness for her to be removed from the executive altogether,” the organisation said.
It argued that appointing Simelane to a critical department despite unresolved allegations reflected a broader culture of impunity within government ranks.
The reshuffle has also drawn sharp criticism from the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, which views Simelane’s removal from the justice portfolio as a politically motivated attack by the president to extinguish criticism of his leadership.
MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said her opposition to renewing Advocate Shamila Batohi’s term as National Director of Public Prosecutions and her criticisms of questionable appointments within the National Prosecuting Authority made her a target.
“This decision is not about ensuring a more effective Cabinet, but is a calculated move to silence a principled leader who refuses to align with Mr Ramaphosa’s factional and self-serving agenda,” Ndhlela said.
He alleged the reshuffle is part of Ramaphosa’s strategy to consolidate control over the justice system while deflecting attention from unresolved scandals, such as the Phala Phala affair.
Nhlamulo said that while the president justified the reshuffle as a move to enhance Cabinet efficiency, his decision has raised questions about accountability.
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