President Cyril Ramaphosa is anticipated to make changes to his cabinet shortly since Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana was sworn in as a Member of Parliament on Tuesday, enabling for the appointment of a non-parliamentary member to the Cabinet. This is the strongest hint yet that Ramaphosa will make a reshuffle announcement in the coming days.
Godongwana was the only cabinet member who was not an MP. His inauguration came after the departure of Mike Basopu, who cleared the way for him to be selected as an MP. Ramaphosa is authorized by law to nominate two Cabinet members who are not MPs. Godongwana and Commerce and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel held these roles. This allows Ramaphosa to designate a non-MP as Minister of Electricity.
There is widespread speculation that the non-MP who will be co-opted into Ramaphosa’s Cabinet will be the Presidency’s head of investment and infrastructure, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, who is expected to become the minister of electricity. Ramokgopa is projected to be one of the two non-National Assembly ministers nominated.
Ramaphosa has been consulting top leaders of the African National Congress (ANC) and the alliance in preparation for the reshuffle. Earlier this month, ANC Vice President Paul Mashatile, Second Secretary-General Maropene Ramokgopa, KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance MEC Sihle Zikalala, and former Gauteng Economic Development MEC Parks Tau were all sworn in as MPs. Mashatile will take over as the country’s vice president from David Mabuza, while Zikalala, Tau, and Ramokgopa are also expected to join Ramaphosa’s Cabinet.
Ramaphosa’s cabinet change has been expected for some time, and Godongwana’s inauguration as an MP has heightened anticipation of a long-overdue announcement. There are various jobs the president needs to fill, including that of Transport Minister. Fikile Mbalula has been appointed as the ANC Secretary-General and is anticipated to be replaced as a minister.
The President conferred with ANC alliance partners over the weekend on the changes he would be making to his Cabinet. According to Cosatu sources, negotiations concentrated on the selection of a Minister of Electricity, while the SA Communist Party focused on the performance of cabinet members.
Ramaphosa announced the new ministry in his State of the Nation Address on February 9th. The minister’s function was created to take full responsibility for managing all parts of the response to the electrical crisis, including the work of the National Energy Crisis Committee.
Finally, Ramaphosa’s cabinet reshuffle is greatly anticipated, and Godongwana’s designation as an MP opens the door for a non-MP to be nominated as Minister of Electricity. The president has been engaging with top ANC and alliance officials about the changes he intends to make to his Cabinet. The new cabinet ministers’ names are anticipated to be published soon.
