EFF: Cabinet an insult to the intelligence of South Africans

30 May 2019 - 06:38 By Zingisa Mvumvu
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
The EFF has lambasted Cyril Ramaphosa for his choice of cabinet.
The EFF has lambasted Cyril Ramaphosa for his choice of cabinet.
Image: FINANCIAL MAIL

The EFF has described the new national executive announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa as an "insult to the intelligence of South Africans".

Among issues flagged by the red berets is the number of deputy ministers, which is more than that of ministers, after Ramaphosa appointed 28 ministers with 34 deputies.

According to the EFF, Ramaphosa succumbed to ANC factional dynamics at the expense of saving taxpayers money as he had promised.

For this, the EFF branded Ramaphosa a "dishonest and manipulative person" calling his decision an insult to the intelligence of the citizens. "The first sign of absolute dishonesty is the idea that he has reduced the cabinet by reducing the number of ministers, yet he increases deputy ministers," said the party in a statement.

PODCAST: Sunday Times Politics Weekly – Analysing cabinet: the good, the bad, and the ugly

"The point of the call for the reduction of the cabinet has always been about saving taxpayers money.

"This objective is not achieved when a number of deputy ministers has been considerably increased whilst reducing the cabinet.

"The cabinet remains a bloated bunch of people, which is a clear disregard of the public purse in favour of satisfying the factional demands of the ANC."

With regards to the reappointment of minister Pravin Gordhan, the EFF believes Ramaphosa disobeyed the office of the public protector and the constitutional court calling this "unconstitutional".

The party viewed the cabinet as a "declaration of war" and vowed that Ramaphosa, just like Zuma, will never have peace at the presence of the EFF.


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now