IN FULL | Read Cyril Ramaphosa's statement on his cabinet reshuffle

President Cyril Ramaphosa reshuffled his cabinet on Thursday for the second time since becoming head of state.

Ramaphosa announced the move during a televised press conference. The move was necessitated largely due to the death of environmental affairs minister Edna Molewa and the resignation in November of home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba.

His full, unedited statement is published below:

STATEMENT ON CHANGES TO CABINET

Fellow South Africans,

Today, I am announcing a number of changes to the National Executive, the Cabinet.

These changes are occasioned by the untimely passing of Minister Edna Molewa and the resignation of Minister Malusi Gigaba.

In making these changes, I remain determined that Cabinet of our nation should have an appropriate mix of experience and capability as well as gender and generational mix that it should have members who are committed to serve and to serve selflessly.

I am mindful of the need to have a resolute and stable Cabinet that is able to effectively lead the growth, renewal and transformation of our economy and our society.

I have decided to make the following appointments:

Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Siyabonga Cwele

Minister of Environmental Affairs, Ms Nomvula Mokonyane

Minister of Communications, Ms Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams.

I have also decided to merge the ministries of Communications and of Telecommunications and Postal Services into a single Ministry of Communications under new Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams.

This move is going to ensure that we have better alignment and coordination on matters that are critical to the future of our economy in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The two departments that will report to the new ministry – namely, the Department of Communications and the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services – will remain as separate departments until the end of the fifth administration.

The decision to merge the two ministries is in line with the work that we have undertaken in line with the announcement which I made during the State of the Nation Address that we are going to look at realigning government.

In anticipation of the 6th democratic administration we will have completed this work and when we have completed it and after which we will make a more comprehensive announcement on how we would have realigned government.

The merging of Communications and of Telecommunications and Postal Services is the first wave but it is also to help with the realignment process which we need right now in order to put into effect the transformation that we are effecting with regards to economic management.

I also wish to announce the resignation from the National Executive of the Deputy Minister of Energy, Ms Thembi Majola, with effect from 1 January 2019 to attend to family commitments.

I wish the newly appointed Ministers well in undertaking the great responsibility they have to the people of South Africa, and extend my gratitude to all those who have served as Ministers as well as Deputy Minister Majola for their contribution to the country.

I thank you.