ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile will be sworn in as an MP this week, paving the way for him to become the head of government business amid speculation that David Mabuza has indicated a willingness to resign as deputy president of SA ahead of a cabinet reshuffle.
In a letter dated January 30 and addressed to secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, parliamentary speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s office confirms the nomination of Mashatile and that he would be sworn as a member of parliament on Tuesday.
Also on Monday, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal announced former premier and now MEC for co-operative governance Sihle Zikalala would resign from the provincial executive, “to possibly make his way to parliament”.
This comes after the ANC in Gauteng last week amended its provincial to national parliamentary list to push Mashatile to the top of the list if any seats in parliament become vacant.
Two ANC MPs resigned on Monday in a clear signal that the ground was being laid for a cabinet shake-up, only the third under President Cyril Ramaphosa. His leadership has come under heavy attack from business leaders, society and opposition parties for a slew of issues, including the energy crisis, rampant crime and record unemployment.
While it is normal for political parties to fill vacancies in parliament, the resignations of Mervyn Dirks and Tshilidzi Munyai as ANC MPs open the door for Mashatile and Zikalala to be eligible for the national executive in the wake of the ANC’s national conference in December.
Dirks late last year led a group of ANC MPs who pushed for Ramaphosa’s impeachment over his handling of the robbery at his Limpopo farm in 2020. Munyai was a strong defender of the need for health reform, including National Health Insurance and speaking strongly against the ANC over the poor state of health-care facilities.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the ANC lekgotla in Gauteng on Monday, Mbalula said the cabinet reshuffle was not the party’s preoccupation.
Replenishments
“This week we will inform you of replenishments [readjustments ]of lists. Provinces have made proposals. [After] the lekgotla we will inform you about those...,” said Mbalula, whose role as former transport minister also needs to be filled in the upcoming reshuffle.
Business Day reported in January that those close to Ramaphosa confirmed Mabuza offered his resignation.
“All obstacles to Mashatile’s path to the presidency have been removed,” a source in the ANC’s parliamentary caucus said. “There are two things worrying the president; he does not think he can remove Gwede [Mantashe] as energy minister,” another source in the presidency said, adding the president “is trying to decide” if he can remove traditional affairs and co-operative governance minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma from the cabinet. She stood against Ramaphosa in the 2017 and 2022 ANC contests for the ANC presidency.
Mantashe is seen as a close ally of Ramaphosa and was instrumental in his rise and re-election as ANC president.
With the party having lost electoral support in successive elections, it is on track to lose its majority in the 2024 general elections. This can only be exacerbated by the worst load-shedding SA has seen since blackouts began in 2008.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.