‘There are vacancies in [the] Cabinet and we also now have a vacancy in the role of the deputy president, so there is a sense of urgency that the President fills those vacancies as soon as possible. In a matter of days that announcement will be made,” said Magwenya.
Ramaphosa has spent two months mulling changes he would make to the executive and has faced mounting criticism for this.
The President consulted with ANC alliance partners at the weekend on the changes he would be making to his Cabinet. Sources within Cosatu told Daily Maverick that discussions centred on the appointment of a minister of electricity, while the South African Communist Party focused on the performance of Cabinet ministers.
Read in Daily Maverick: “Outgoing Deputy President David Mabuza the latest ANC member to resign from Parliament”
The delays around the Cabinet reshuffle sparked rumours that newly elected ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile was being blocked by Ramaphosa’s close allies. However, Magwenya tried to justify the amount of time the President has taken to make a final decision on the matter.
“The President has to apply his mind. The appointment of Cabinet members and the management of Cabinet is not something you can conduct in haste or something you can do in a rush. It’s something that has to be carefully considered because you have to look at the stability of the government and programmes that are already under way,” he explained.
Outgoing deputy president David Mabuza resigned as a member of the National Assembly on Tuesday. This was a necessary step to make way for Mashatile to be appointed.
Other vacancies the President has to fill include transport minister and public service and administration minister.
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Recently sworn in ANC MPs who are likely to be appointed to Cabinet include second secretary-general Maropene Ramokgopa, KwaZulu-Natal cooperative governance MEC Sihle Zikalala and former Gauteng economic development MEC Parks Tau.
Head of Infrastructure in the Presidency Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has been touted for the Ministry of Electricity’s top job.
Read in Daily Maverick: “David Mabuza a Cabinet Lekgotla no-show as his deputy president tenure reaches its twilight”
Just days before his appointment, Mashatile on Wednesday addressed members of the National Union of Mineworkers where he said that in order for the governing party’s renewal programme to succeed, leaders and government deployees should be held accountable for wrongdoing.
He was speaking at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in Boksburg at NUM’s special congress.
Mashatile believes it will help the party to fight against corruption and unacceptable conduct within its ranks and in society.
“It is also about renewing our commitment to the values of the ANC including hard work, honesty, selflessness, democratic debate, discipline, criticism and self-criticism. Renewal is about strengthening the organisational culture and building an ethical movement. It is about modernising our movement,” he said.
WATCH| SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila speaks about the looming cabinet reshuffle. He says while their discussions with the president did not focus on exactly who should be reshuffled, they are sure about the appointment of Paul Mashatile as deputy president. pic.twitter.com/ccCfS7ZgKK
— Queenin Masuabi (@Queenin_M) March 1, 2023
Mashatile further stressed the importance of unity within the alliance, adding that the ANC would never abandon its task of working towards the unity of the alliance.
“It is only through a united alliance guided by a joint programme of action that we can deliver on the objectives of the National Democratic Revolution: to build a truly united, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa. We are conscious of the reality that unity cannot and should not be equated to the absence of differences. Indeed, unity does not mean sameness.
“We also expect members of our trusted ally, the NUM, to play a significant role in the renewal, revitalisation and unity of the ANC. While we have made some progress in renewing and rebuilding the ANC, we must act with greater purpose and urgency going forward. We need to renew the ANC in order to restore its relevance, and to narrow the social distance with the people,” he said.
However, he remained modest when questioned by reporters about the possibility of his appointment as second in command of the country.
“The President has not consulted me so I don’t know… the [reshuffle] will happen within the next seven days,” Mashatile said. DM