Cabinet reshuffle 'in a number of days', says Presidency's Vincent Magwenya

President Cyril Ramaphosa will announce changes to his cabinet “in a number of days” after the resignation of former deputy president David Mabuza as an MP  on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Union Buildings on Wednesday, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told the media Ramaphosa knows that he has to fill vacancies in his cabinet.

“There are vacancies in 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.”

Magwenya said the Presidency will communicate to the nation when Ramaphosa is ready to make his announcement.

The briefing comes hours after the Presidency confirmed that Ramaphosa has finally accepted Mabuza’s resignation.

TimesLIVE Premium reported earlier that Mabuza sent his letter of resignation to the speaker of the National Assembly on Tuesday evening, meaning the country does not have a deputy president. 

The move comes weeks after Mabuza asked Ramaphosa to relieve him of his duties as the deputy president. Ramaphosa had asked Mabuza to delay his resignation.

The Sunday Times reported that Ramaphosa has been consulting the ANC's alliance partners, signalling that he is a step closer to announcing his cabinet reshuffle.

Ramaphosa met Cosatu and the SACP in marathon meetings at Luthuli House last Friday.

The president was also consulting the ANC's national officials, including his probable incoming deputy Paul Mashatile.

The ruling party has committed that the rejigging of Ramaphosa’s cabinet will be done by the end of February. 

On why Ramaphosa was taking his time, Magwenya said the president didn’t want to make a decision in haste.

“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 government and programmes that are already underway.”

Magwenya said there are many “layers of complexity and sensitivities” to the decision that have to be looked at.

“I am not sure that he will agree that it has taken long because the work of government has continued, whether it is the energy crisis or other areas of government.”

That there are vacancies in cabinet has not hindered the work of government.

“The work of government has not been undermined in any shape or form. However, the president is aware that he has to fill the vacancies.”

Magwenya said those vacancies will be filled and a new minister of electricity appointed.

“The length of time it has taken for him to apply his mind and consult if he needs to and ultimately make his decision has had no direct bearing on the work of government. But that is not to say that it is not important, it is important in terms of accelerating various aspects of the work of government,” he said.

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