Relax! Ramaphosa likely to reshuffle cabinet after the end of the month, says Mashatile
President Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to make a decision on a cabinet reshuffle after the end of the month, ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile told the media this week.
He said the move is inevitable and will take place after the ordinary sitting of the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) and the ANC NEC lekgotla at the end of January.
“We’re going to have the lekgotla of the NEC [and] finalise the plans. Once we are done, the president will then begin to look at where he should make changes,” said Mashatile.
Ramaphosa is expected to axe some ministers who did not make the new NEC cut and introduce newcomers to the structure.
Mashatile said the reshuffle will be necessary because some members may leave, including secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.
“The secretary-general has to be full time at Luthuli House, so at some point he has to leave. The president will then begin to look at what to do next, but we thought we shouldn't rush to make changes before we finalise our plan,” Mashatile added.
Speaking at the ANC’s presidential golf day in Mangaung, Free State, Ramaphosa said he would not give in to media pressure to reshuffle cabinet.
“That is the most pre-eminent thing in your thoughts. Just obliterate that and wait for the moment when the president has applied his mind and stop asking when that is going to happen.
“So relax. Have a cup of coffee, sit back and watch this space,” he said.
Mbalula previously said the ANC will lobby Ramaphosa to include “youthful” ministers in government to accelerate service delivery.
“What we do not want is people who are not going to deliver. We do not want incompetence, that is non-negotiable. We want people who are going to do the work. We want a gender-sensitive government, a government that is youthful, that is running,” said Mbalula.
“We do not want people sleeping on the job. If the president is going to come with sleepers, he must forget [about] our support.
“We are one year from the national elections. There are posts in government that must be filled and if the president wants to go beyond that, it is up to him, but we want a functioning government.”