Zuma shakes things up with new Cabinet

Sunday 25 May 2014 - 5:02pm
PHOTO_ZUMA_CABINET_250514

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma announced his new Cabinet on Sunday May 25.

JOHANNESBURG - President Jacob Zuma started off his final term in office with a major Cabinet shake-up on Sunday.

He announced ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa as the country&39;s second-in-command.

Zuma shuffled around a number of key ministries, removing some controversial figures or placing them in other portfolios. See the full list below.

Some of the major announcements include Nkosinathi Nhleko who replaces Nathi Mthethwa as police minister. Mthethwa has been moved to the ministry of arts and culture.

Pravin Gordhan moves from finance to local government and traditional affairs, although his departure will not surprise many. Gordhan, who had hinted before that he was considering stepping aside, will be replaced by his deputy Nhlanhla Nene.

Tina Joemat-Pettersson moves from agriculture and fisheries to the energy post. She has been replaced by Senzeni Jokwana, former NUM president and new MP. 

Susan Shabangu, who has come under fire from some quarters for her handling of the mining portfolio, will head up the ministry of women in the presidency. The former mining minister is replaced by party veteran Ngoako Ramatlhodi.

Nomvula Mokonyane, former Gauteng premier, is the newly created Minister of Water and Sanitation.

Marthinus van Schalkwyk leaves Cabinet and is replaced by Derek Hanekom as Minister of Tourism.

A new face and position in Cabinet is Lindiwe Zulu as minister of small business development.

Ministers who retain their posts from the previous administration include:

  • Fikile Mbalula as Minister of Sport;
  • Ebrahim Patel as Minister of Economic Development;
  • Blade Nzimande as Minister of Higher Education;
  • Angie Motshekga as Minister of Basic Education;
  • Rob Davies as Minister of Trade and Industry;
  • Aaron Motsoaledi as Minister of Health.

The president also announced the creation of some new ministries.

"We have established a ministry of telecommunications and postal services," Zuma said while making his Cabinet announcement.

"Our country has a fast growing telecommunications sector which in 2012 was estimated at being worth R180 billion."

The aim of the new ministry was to get more value out of the telecommunications sector, he said.

The communications department had been reconfigured to include more functions.

"We have established a new communications ministry which will be responsible for overarching communication policy and strategy, information dissemination and publicity, as well as the branding of the country abroad," Zuma announced.

"This ministry will be formed out of the following components: the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, the SA Broadcasting Corporation, Government Communication and Information Systems, Brand SA and the Media Development and Diversity Agency."

The National Planning Commission and the ministry of performance, monitoring and evaluation will be merged.

"This ministry will also continue to be responsible for youth development."

  • See the complete list of ministers here.