Cabinet reshuffle does nothing about country’s pressing problems

7 March 2023

With his Cabinet reshuffle, President Cyril Ramaphosa did absolutely nothing to address the two most significant problems faced by the country and its people, namely power and crime.

Concerning the power crisis, the President appointed Dr Kgosientso Ramokgopa as the Minister of Electricity, which is basically no more than a project manager.

This is despite the fact that Dr Ramokgopa was surrounded by controversy a number of years ago while serving as the Executive Mayor of Tshwane precisely because of an electricity-related fiasco regarding smart electricity meters in the city.

That was but a practice run for what awaits the Minister at Eskom.

At the time, the purpose of installing the smart meters was to reduce the city's bad debt and improve cashflow. Ultimately, the project was a total flop that cost the city R1,2 billion.

In addition, Bheki Cele is still firmly rooted in his office as the Minister of Police while the country is engulfed in crime.

It is abundantly clear that the President has no real will to save the country from its predicament.

After the President's SONA, the expectation was that he would drastically reduce the size of his Cabinet and he also announced it with his Cabinet reshuffle tonight. But nothing came of it.

What happened with Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is a good indication of the reasoning behind the President's changes by keeping his friends close to him and his enemies even closer.

Even after Dr Dlamini-Zuma went against the ANC's recommendations and voted that Parliament must investigate President Ramaphosa about Phala-Phala, he did not get rid of her, but instead appointed her in his inner circle.

She is now the new Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities in the Presidency.

Ultimately, the President cemented his own position with these changes at the expense of the people of South Africa.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 7 March 2023