After the wait, President Ramaphosa has unveiled his new coalition cabinet. The announcement of Sunday saw the appointment of officials from the Democratic Alliance and others while some ANC officials were maintained in the new government.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has made fresh changes to his cabinet including appointing former opposition leader John Steenhuisen as minister of agriculture. The new cabinet announcement on Sunday saw President Ramaphosa bring the Democratic Alliance and other parties into his new coalition cabinet.
Ramaphosa who unveiled his new cabinet retained the ANC’s Paul Mashatile as Deputy President, Enoch Godongwana as finance minister while Ronald Lamola was appointed minister of international relations and cooperation, replacing Naledi Pandor.
Gwede Mantashe stayed on as mineral and petroleum resources minister but the president removed energy from his portfolio. The combination of mineral resources had been seen by many as creating a prejudice in favour of coal as a source of power generation.
Energy will now fall within the portfolio of Electricity and Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has been maintained.
Ramaphosa’s African National Congress was forced to join forces with rival parties to stay in power after losing its majority for the first time in three decades in a May 29 election. The announcement of the new cabinet of the government of national unity followed weeks of protracted and acrimonious negotiations.
However President Ramaphosa stated that those appointed to the executive reflect the diversity of the nation and in the spirit of partnership and collaboration, the incoming government will work together.
