President Cyril Ramaphosa is playing his cards close to his chest about who is expected to serve in his new, reconfigured cabinet.
Ramaphosa is set to be inaugurated as SA president on Saturday. Shortly after his inauguration he is expected to announce his cabinet. The president will be watched to see whether he will remove Jacob Zuma-era ministers tainted by allegations of corruption, state capture and lying under oath.
Business Day has been told not to expect a “perfect cabinet” but one that will have strong ministers who could grow the economy and lead the country into the much talked-about “new dawn”.
The top six ANC officials were expected to meet on Sunday ahead of a special national executive committee meeting in Cape Town on Monday. It was thought that Ramaphosa would take them into his confidence on his plan for the cabinet.
ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe would not comment on this but said: “We are being led properly.”
One of Ramaphosa’s key tasks is to reconfigure the cabinet. Under Zuma’s presidency political positions were seemingly treated as a means of reward rather than the means to deliver effective leadership for a functional state. In those years the cabinet grew to about 35 ministries, up from fewer than 30.
One can expect Ramaphosa, who has already merged the departments of communication and telecommunication & postal services, to cut the number of ministries to below 30. It could be as low as 25.
Key ministers
Given the massive task of rebuilding the state and economy, certain ministries will be key. The appointment of finance minister will be watched closely by the markets and ratings agencies. It is not yet clear if Tito Mboweni will return to the post, which would provide some stability, though he has made it onto the list of MPs.
Other economic ministries, such as trade & industry, economic development and small business development could return to their smaller, pre-Zuma configurations.
The security cluster ministries, such as police and justice & constitutional development, will need strong, untainted ministers to provide political oversight while ensuring the independent functioning of the criminal justice system.
The restructuring of the State Security Agency will also be key and will have to be overseen by a minister Ramaphosa can trust, given political abuse of the agency in the Zuma years. The agency will once again be split into domestic and foreign intelligence.
Given the ANC’s plans to change the constitution to allow for land expropriation without compensation, it will be critical to appoint a strong minister to oversee the department of rural development & land reform.
A number of cabinet lists are doing the rounds, but with Ramaphosa staying mum, no one is quite sure who he will appoint. South Africans will have to hope he sticks to his promise of appointing capable, forward-thinking people who will serve rather than take.
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