South African president Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to appoint Paul Mashatile as deputy president and a younger Cabinet when he reshuffles his executive in the new year.
Mashatile, who rallied the Gauteng ANC to nominate the Top 7 leadership in Ramaphosa’s favour, is expected to take over the role from David Mabuza who did not make it on to the national executive committee (NEC) list released on Wednesday.
The president of the ANC has traditionally selected ministers from the NEC and rarely appoints someone from outside this list – however there has been a recent exception – Good party leader Patricia de Lille, who was appointed Minister of Public Works.
Ministers who did not make the NEC list include Blade Nzimande, Thulas Nxesi, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and Naledi Pandor, while Pravin Gordhan declined the nomination.
Deputy ministers Candith Mashego-Dlamini, Alvin Botes, Dikeledi Magadzi and Sidumo Dlamini were also not nominated to the NEC.
Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula will have to vacate his portfolio after being elected secretary-general of the party and there has been a vacancy in the Department of Public Service and Administration after Ayanda Dlodlo left to work for the World Bank earlier this year.
ANC branches at the elective conference called for Gordhan’s department, Public Enterprises, to be dissolved and for the state-owned enterprises to be placed under the portfolio of respective ministers.
Branches are also believed to have raised the issue of Eskom and load shedding.
The party will reconvene their elective conference to discuss this and other policy issues on January 5 and a decision is expected the following day.
An ANC insider said that Ramaphosa was expected to retain Gordhan, and is likely to appoint him as the minister in the Office of the Presidency, with Mondli Gungubele moving to replace Dlodlo in Public Service and Administration.
Political analyst Dr Fikile Vilakazi, of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said Ramaphosa had filled his NEC with new blood and was doing a handover of sorts.
“The past five years proved gruelling for him with the previous NEC. He may not give Zweli Mkhize a portfolio, to avoid any issues down the line and to push his agenda of renewal”.
“He will possibly give Oscar Mabuyane a portfolio after he lost out on the party deputy president position.”
Vilakazi said Mashatile “carries a lot of organisational history and expertise, particularly after Ace Magashule was suspended”.
“Mashatile will fill in the middle ground between the old and young members of the NEC,” she said.
Another political analyst, Dr John Molepo of the University of Mpumalanga, said there was an expectation of a much younger Cabinet when the reshuffle was announced.
“There are expectations that he will have a generational mix in his Cabinet and that people like Nathi Mthethwa, Lindiwe Sisulu and Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will not feature.”
