Please refer to the bottom of the article for updated information
In this follow-up to our breaking news report on President Jacob Zuma’s sacking of former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and several others, we report on how Cabinet has been changed.
News24 reports that Malusi Gigaba, not Sfiso Buthelezi, would be the new Minister of Finance. Gigaba is the former home affairs minister. Buthelezi is to be the deputy finance minister.
Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo is to be the new Minister of Health, replacing the World Health Organization’s unofficial ambassador to South Africa, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, who has reportedly not been redeployed.
Commissar for Communist Indoctrination (otherwise known as higher education minister) Blade Nzimande has been sacked from Cabinet – he will now need to find another way to fund ‘free’ university education. Comrade Rob Davies, the Minister against Trade and Industry has also apparently been fired without redeployment. South Africa might finally be exiting the Cold War, almost three decades late. Davies and Nzimande are joined by economic development minister Ebrahim Patel, state security minister David Mahlobo, and finance minister Gordhan, none of whom appear to have a portfolio in the new Cabinet.
Updates as they happen.
UPDATE: Final Cabinet List
- Minister of Energy, Ms Mmamoloko “Nkhensani” Kubayi
- Minister of Transport, Mr Joe Maswanganyi
- Minister of Finance, Mr Malusi Gigaba
- Minister of Police, Mr Fikile Mbalula
- Minister of Public Works, Mr Nathi Nhleko
- Minister of Sports and Recreation, Mr Thembelani Nxesi
- Minister of Tourism, Ms Tokozile Xasa
- Minister of Public Service and Administration, Ms Faith Muthambi
- Minister of Home Affairs, Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize
- Minister of Communications, Ms Ayanda Dlodlo
While the removal of inept Communist ministers such as Davies and Nzimande is something to celebrate, many new appointments are very questionable. Constant reshuffling and re-appointment is never good for skill retention and many of the new appointments are completely unproven in their new office.
The Rand is facing major drops as uncertainty over the new appointments shocks the market. Gordhan, for all his misgivings, had been re-assuring the market. Gigaba, a Zuma-loyalist, is expected to use his position to further aid Zuma’s power grab and control over the treasury.
UPDATE: 31st of March 2017
Despite speculation and initial reports that SACP members Davies and Nzimande had been fired, this has been revealed to not be true. We do await if they will fulfill their promise and resign willingly, however.
Featured image: Flickr michailkirkov
Harald Sitta
plus la change, plus le meme chose 🙂 I mean it is a massacre among lefties ultra lefties, native lefties, corrupt lefties, inept lefties…. we can save our powder 🙂
Harald Sitta
proposal: NOW is the time to present a libertarian, very concrete program of radical reform far away from petty party politics and attract attention. Shouldn’t we do that together with the fmf???
Harald Sitta
what about a CIT-EXIT???? If the politicians leave and fail us why not vice versa ?>>Secessio plebis in Rome 4th century BC .I mean the misera plebs contribuens may hit back, or ???