PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa is seriously considering a major shakeup of the national executive amid pressure from within and outside the governing ANC to fire security cluster ministers for mishandling the recent violent protests.
Ramaphosa, who has the sole prerogative to hire and fire Cabinet ministers, is under severe pressure from opposition parties and civil society to fire incompetent ministers and those implicated in wide corruption as soon as possible.
The president is expected to announce his decision within the next few days and is keeping the country guessing whether he would carry out his threat to clean up government and fight corruption.
While Ramaphosa prefers to play his cards to close to his chest, he has no choice this time around but to act decisively following the ‘catastrophic’ mishandling of the recent pro-Zuma riots by the Security and Economic Cluster Ministers.
Political analysts believe that Ramaphosa is determined not to lose the opportunity to ensure ‘accountability’ and ‘consequence management’ for the recent violent riots.
Ramaphosa is meeting the tripartite alliance leaders on Thursday to inform them of his decision to reshuffle Cabinet.
The names of the security cluster ministers who are widely understood would be axed include State Security Minister Ayanda Dlodlo and Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
According to insiders, Police minister Bheki Cele, a close ally of Ramaphosa, is likely to remain in his portfolio for strategic and political reasons because the president still needs supportive and dependable ‘allies’ in order to take full control of the governing party ahead of the ANC’s elective conference in December 2022.
Ramaphosa may also want to bring former president Jacob Zuma’s loyalists into the fold for the sake of unity, according to insiders.
COSATU spokesperson, Sizwe Pamla, told Inside Politics on Wednesday that the trade union federation’s recent central executive committee (CEC) has called for ‘accountability’ following the recent civil unrest in July that claimed more than 300 lives and razed thousands of businesses to the ground.
“The federation is disappointed by the lack of accountability after the riots that claimed so many lives and caused destruction to businesses,” said Pamla.
Pamla said Cosatu wholly supported the president’s prerogative to appoint his own Cabinet, but urged him to avoid ‘recycling’ same ministers who have been part of the system for many years when he reshuffles his Cabinet.
“The issue of corruption is our biggest concern,” said Pamla.
“People who are tainted and have a cloud of corruption hanging over their heads often get distracted, and instead of focusing on the job at hand to ensure service delivery, they end up focusing on defending themselves from criticism, allegations and counter-allegations, as we have seen recently with the case of [suspended] Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, former Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini, former Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane, former State Security Minister David Mahlobo and former Police Minister Nathi Nhleko. Instead of serving the people, they were always on the defensive against allegations of corruption facing them.”
There is speculation that Ramaphosa would fire Mkhize and replace him with his deputy Joe Phaahla, or Limpopo MEC for Health Dr Phophi Ramathuba.
Mkhize, who is the subject of a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigation, is alleged to have pressured senior departmental officials to appoint Digital Vibes for the R150m communications contract.
Higher education Minister Blade Nzimande, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, State Security Deputy Minister Zizi Kodwa, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and Arts, Culture and Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa are among some of those earmarked to be axed from their current portfolios due to allegations of corruption and ‘incompetence’.
Early, this week Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) called on president Ramaphosa to fire Nzimande following claims against him of tender corruption relating to the procurement of laptops for needy students and mismanagement of the finances at the department of higher education.
“While Nzimande wa preoccupied with the celebration of the still-born SACP, suspended director-general, Gwebinkundla Qonde made revelations of how he was forced to by-pass normal tender processes, in the procurement of 500 000 laptops for students who belong to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).”
The SACP, COSATU and opposition parties have also called for Ramaphosa to show that the centre is holding by showing Finance Minister Tito Mboweni the door – and replace him with the most suitable candidate.
According to insiders, Ramaphosa has ‘identified’ ANC heavyweight Enoch Godongwana, businessman Sizwe Nxasana and Gordhan as some of the possible candidates who might replace Mboweni.
Shortly after he ascended to power in 2018, Ramaphosa’s ‘kitchen Cabinet’ advised the president to downsize his Cabinet and make it smaller.
Cabinet was reduced from 35 members to 28 in 2019.
They also advised him to abolish the posts of deputy ministers and reduce the fringe benefits of management positions.
Senior government officials believe that the decision to downsize and abolish the posts of deputy ministers will save government a lot of money.
The new handbook has set a limit of R700 000 on the price of new official cars for ministers, deputy ministers, premiers and members of provincial executive committees, according to public service and administration minister Senzo Mchunu .
No security upgrades are allowed at ministerial houses since then and ministers and deputy ministers can now only occupy one State House.
Inside Politics also understands that Ramaphosa might merge certain departments to cut costs and save government some money.
According to officials in government, Ramaphosa may collapse the department of Small Business Development and merge it with the Department of Trade and Industry, among others.
Ramaphosa has since merged 10 departments into five.
1. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (without the forestry and fisheries portfolios) + Rural Development and Land Reform = the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD);
2. Communications + Telecommunications and Postal Services = the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT);
3. Mineral Resources + Energy = the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE);
4. Sport and Recreation + Arts and Culture = the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture (DSAC);
5. Economic Development + Trade and Industry = the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the DTIC).
During his Cabinet announcement in 2019, Ramaphosa said he was committed to a process of further reforms to “promote coherence, better co-ordination and improved efficiency” of the government.
He also announced that some departments would have two deputy ministers.
The responsibilities shared between the Deputy Ministers were as follows:
Ministry of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development
· Land Reform – Deputy Minister Mcebisi Skwatsha
· Rural Development – Deputy Minister Sdumo Dlamini
Ministry of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs
· Local Government – Deputy Minister Parks Tau (Tau has since left to head Economic Development in Gauteng)
· Traditional Affairs – Deputy Minister Obed Bapela
Ministry of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
· Human Settlements – Deputy Minister Pam Tshwete
· Water and Sanitation – Deputy Minister David Mahlobo
Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services
· Correctional Services – Deputy Minister Nkosi Phathekile Holomisa
- INSIDE POLITICS|
