New names have emerged as candidates for the cabinet as President Cyril Ramaphosa continues consultations to shore up his executive.
Business Day understands that the matter was discussed but not finalised by the ANC top leadership on Monday but the tripartite alliance, which includes Cosatu and the SA Communist Party, has not yet been consulted. Staff in the presidency have said that some ministers have been asked to prepare handover reports.
Among the names being considered is former deputy finance minister Mondli Gungubele as minister in the presidency, and Limpopo health MEC Phophi Ramathuba and deputy health minister Joe Phaahla for the health portfolio.
While there is a push from within the government for Phaahla to take over the health department, Ramathuba has surpassed expectations in terms of the rollout of vaccines in Limpopo.
Gungubele is an ANC veteran with the close confidence of Ramaphosa. If appointed as the minister in the presidency, he could speak authoritatively for Ramaphosa’s administration.
Ramaphosa has publicly committed to a minor rather than a major reshuffle, but there is mounting public pressure for consequence management following violent riots in July that claimed more than 300 lives and razed thousands of businesses.
Ramaphosa last Thursday gave the strongest indication yet that a cabinet shake-up is on the cards, saying he was considering the matter and would make a decision soon since the issue was causing “a lot of” anxiety.
“It is a process that is under way. It is going to be addressed as soon as possible. The deployment of people [in] government occupies the mind of a president at all times. That is what I am applying my mind to. All I can say is watch this space,” Ramaphosa said.
Vacant portfolio
With minister in the presidency Jackson Mthembu having died more than six months ago and health minister Zweli Mkhize on special leave pending the outcome of a graft investigation, two important portfolios remain vacant and are being filled by acting political heads. This situation prevails as the country battles the Covid-19 pandemic and reels from the mayhem of looting and violence sparked by the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma.
The reshuffle has been postponed twice in the past four months. In May, just as it seemed about to happen, ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule was suspended from the party, prompting Ramaphosa to back off. In June, the crisis erupted over Mkhize, and Ramaphosa again paused awaiting the outcome of an investigation.
Ramaphosa has over the past week intensified private interactions with his cabinet ministers and directors-general in the security cluster in a sign that the reshuffle may be imminent.
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