'Processes needed to be followed,' says Ramaphosa on delayed cabinet reshuffle announcement

President Cyril Ramaphosa said the delay of his cabinet reshuffle announcement was due to processes that needed to be followed. 

Addressing the nation on Monday night, Ramaphosa said he was aware there had been some “concern” about the time he had taken to make the announcement.  

Though the government had not issued an official communique, it was expected Ramaphosa was going to make the announcement last Thursday. The reshuffle was delayed after Ramaphosa took ill last week.  

However, on Friday pictures of Ramaphosa attending a dinner on his Phala Phala farm went viral on social media with many criticising his priorities.  

On Monday Ramaphosa said the delay was due to several processes that needed to be followed, some of which were related to the requirements of the constitution regarding the appointment of members of the national executive.  

“The president appoints the deputy president, ministers and deputy ministers from among members of the National Assembly. The president may appoint no more than two ministers and two deputy ministers from outside the National Assembly,” he said.  

Deputy president Paul Mashatile, minister of finance Enoch Godongwana, f trade and industry and competition minister Ebrahim Patel, former KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala and Parks Tau were sworn in as MPs recently.

With one year left of the sixth administration, Ramaphosa said the changes were not about” overhauling the national executive”. 

“The changes I am announcing now are intended to fill vacancies that have occurred in the executive and to direct government more effectively towards the areas that require urgent and decisive action.”  

He said he had sought to balance the need for new skills and capabilities to drive the agenda outlined in his state of the nation address in February.  

He announced two new ministries — electricity & planning and monitoring & evaluation.

“While this will result in an increase in the number of ministries in the short term, as indicated in the state of the nation address, I have instructed the presidency and National Treasury to develop a proposal to rationalise government departments, entities and programmes to ensure greater efficiency.”  

This work, which will result in a reduction in ministries, will inform the configuration of government going into the next administration, said Ramaphosa.

IN FULL | Newly appointed cabinet ministers

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