By Amy Musgrave
President Cyril Ramaphosa has reshuffled the Cabinet, making four changes.
In a statement issued on Tuesday night the president said he had made the changes to “ensure the effectiveness of Cabinet in delivering to its mandate and in accordance with section 91(2) of the Constitution”.
Mmamoloko Kubayi, who is currently the Minister of Human Settlements has been appointed as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development.
Thembi Nkadimeng, who is the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, is now the Minister of Human Settlements
Phumzile Mgcina has been appointed as the Deputy Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources. She had been serving in the national executive as the Deputy Minister of Labour and Employment.
Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala is now the Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour. She had been serving in the national executive as the Deputy Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources.
“The changes to the national executive are effective immediately. I would like to wish these members of the national executive well in their new positions,” Ramaphosa said.
Reacting to the reshuffle, the Democratic Alliance’s Glynnis Breytenbach said the president’s decision to keep Simelane, who has been under pressure to resign following revelations that she received a loan from a company connected to the VBS scandal, was “short-sighted and disrespectful” to South Africa.
“While the president has finally addressed the untenable conflict of interest of having a Minister of Justice accused of corruption, his decision to simply move her somewhere else does not address the underlying issue, she stands accused of corruption and is subject to investigations,” Breytenbach said in a statement.
“Human Settlements is a vital department for providing housing to South Africans. It must be led by a credible individual.”
She said the indecisiveness of the president, who was committed to fighting corruption, was especially shocking and blatantly insincere.
The reshuffle came as surprise to many. The president did not give further details.
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