RATE IT | Here's what you need to know about the new ministers in Ramaphosa's cabinet

President Cyril Ramaphosa's new cabinet is a mixed bag of new faces, old faces in new jobs and ministers who have remained in their positions.

Ramaphosa announced long-awaited changes to his cabinet on Monday. 

Four ministers have been cut or have moved on, Nathi Mthethwa, Lindiwe Sisulu, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and Fikile Mbalula, who will take a full-time post at Luthuli House as the ANC's secretary-general. 

Some of the ministers who remained in their positions are basic education minister Angie Motshekga, higher education minister Blade Nzimande, minister of labour Thulas Nxesi, trade and industry minister Ebrahim Patel and finance minister Enoch Godongwana.

ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile is the country's new deputy president.

Here's what you need to know about the new ministers. Let us know what you think about their appointment.

Kgosientso “Sputla” Ramokgopa

Ramokgopa is the new minister in the presidency responsible for electricity and will “deal with the immediate crisis of electricity and significantly reduce the frequency of load-shedding as a matter of urgency”.

The civil engineering graduate was Tshwane mayor from 2010 to 2016. He was also a member of the executive council in the Gauteng government in 2019.

He was MEC for economic development, agriculture, and environment for less than five months before he resigned amid reported pressure from the ANC to replace a male MEC with a woman.

Sihle Zikalala

Zikalala is minister of public works and infrastructure. He replaced Patricia de Lille who moves to tourism.

He was sworn in as an MP ahead of the cabinet reshuffle. Zikalala resigned recently as a member of the KwaZulu-Natal executive and MPL to become an MP.

He served as the eighth KwaZulu-Natal premier from 2019 until his resignation in 2022 and as the provincial chairperson of the ANC from 2015 to 2022. 

Zikalala has held various leadership positions in the ANC, serving as MEC for economic development, tourism and environmental affairs in KwaZulu-Natal from 2016 to 2019. 

Maropene Ramokgopa

Minister in the presidency responsible for performance, monitoring and evaluation is Maropene Ramokgopa. 

She is the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) national co-ordinator. Ramokgopa served as special adviser to Ramaphosa on international relations. 

She held various positions including executive mayor of a Northern Cape district municipality.

In December last year, Ramokgopa was elected second deputy secretary-general of the ANC.

Thembi Nkadimeng 

Nkadimeng is minister of co-operative governance and traditional affairs. She was the deputy minister in the department.

She is the former president of the South African Local Government Association (Salga). She served as deputy president of Salga before becoming its president, and also serves as co-president of United Cities of Local Government (UCLG).

Nkadimeng was executive mayor of Polokwane in Limpopo. She served in managerial positions in both public administration and the private sector.

Noxolo Kiviet

Kiviet was appointed the new minister of public service and administration, replacing minister of employment and labour Thulas Nxesi who was the acting minister. 

She was the deputy minister of public works and infrastructure. 

Kiviet served as the premier of the Eastern Cape from 2009 to 2014. She is the former speaker of the Eastern Cape provincial legislature.

Sindisiwe Chikunga

Chikunga was appointed minister of transport, taking over from Mbalula.

She was appointed deputy minister of transport in 2021 and served as the deputy minister of public service and administration from 2019 to 2021. 

Previously, Chikunga served on parliament's correctional services portfolio committee, joint budget portfolio committee, housing portfolio committee, auditor-general and joint standing committee on defence and as chairperson of the portfolio committee on police from 2009 to 2012.

She has been an MP since 2004. 

IN FULL | Newly appointed cabinet ministers