By Zukile Majova
Political Editor
After almost 30 years in government, Mzansi’s “favourite daughter” Lindiwe Sisulu has been booted out of the cabinet.
Having had almost zero impact in numerous portfolios she headed, no one will miss her.
Since 1994, the daughter of struggle stalwarts Walter and Albertina Sisulu, has been Minister of Housing (2004 to 2009), Minister of Defence and Military Veterans (2009 to 2012), Minister of Public Service and Administration (2012 to 2014), Minister of Human Settlements from (2014 to 2018), Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (2018 to 2019), Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation (2019 to 2021) and Minister of Tourism (2021 to 2023).
President Cyril Ramaphosa could have fired both Sisulu and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma but he demoted NDZ from Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to the junior Ministry of Women, Youth and People with Disabilities.
Unlike Sisulu who has no political influence, NDZ still commands a loyal following in the ANC Women’s League and in parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
Ramaphosa did not want to push her into the arms of the so-called Radical Transformation Movement faction in the ANC and did not want to be seen to be turning a simple cabinet reshuffle into a political purge of his enemies.
Despite a bloated cabinet in desperate need of trimming, only three ministers got the boot – Sisulu, who is the former minister of tourism, Nathi Mthethwa from sports, arts and culture and Maite Nkoana-Mashabane from women, youth and people with disabilities.
Ramaphosa, who came into office in 2019 promising to cut the size of the cabinet, making it leaner and more efficient, instead continued to increase the size of the cabinet to now 30 portfolios.
Where he could have hired an energy expert as the Minister in the Presidency responsible for electricity, he hired someone with no credentials in the sector.
The president is allowed by law to hire up to two ministers and deputy ministers who are not members of parliament, thereby presenting him an opportunity to bring outside expertise.
Dlamini-Zuma failed spectacularly as Cogta Minister.
The 2021 State of Local Government Report by Dlamini-Zuma’s department found “64 of the 257 municipalities are dysfunctional” and just 16% of municipalities receive clean audits.
Despite the murder rate increasing by almost 20% during his first term in office, Ramaphosa could not bring himself to fire Police Minister Bheki Cele.
The latest crime stats show that 82 people are murdered in SA everyday.
None of the ministers responsible for the energy crisis and load shedding responsible for the energy crisis and load shedding – not Public Enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan nor Minerals and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe – got fired.
Paul Mashatile, the man who has been leading plots to unseat Ramaphosa, was appointed deputy president.
Ramaphosa, who increased the ANC Top 6 into a Top 7 with the introduction of the second deputy secretary, has now brought that second deputy secretary – Maropene Ramakgopa – into the government payroll as Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation.
So for all intents and purposes the much-awaited cabinet reshuffle by Ramaphosa turned out to be a damp squib.
Pictured above: After almost 30 years in government, the country finally sees the back of Lindiwe Sisulu
Image source: @LindiweSisuluSA
