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President Ramaphosa says a reconfiguration of the executive is inevitable

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President Cyril Ramaphosa says that a possible cabinet reshuffle is on the cards, however, he would not be drawn on the timeline.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the SABC’s Political Editor Mzwandile Mbeje, African National Congress (ANC) president says that with the need to fill existing gaps in ministries such as the Public Service and to replace ministers who have been elected full-time to the ANC structures, a reconfiguration of the executive is unavoidable.

South Africa’s governing party has set out its programme for the year ahead with a strong emphasis on the renewal of the party and the need to improve the quality of life for many South Africans.

”Well as I said, I mean there are quite a number of processes that we have to go through. The  SG has been a Minister of Transport, and he is going to be handing in his resignation. So we then have a gap there. We still have a gap with regard to the minister of public service and so all that gives rise to what now needs to be done to reconfigure the country’s national executive. So as I said the other day, obviously, the media would like me to reshuffle through the very announcement that they want to make and I said ‘let’s watch this space’. There is a need and I think it follows that there needs to be reconfiguration, we have to replace this minister and that minister. So let’s wait for that and I said watch this space.”

Despite his re-election at the 55th Conference, with a comfortable lead, the Phala-Phala saga remains the subject of a number of investigations.

With the ANC’s step-aside resolution reaffirmed, the President has taken a wait-and-see approach to what would follow should he be charged.

”Well, we deal with issues as they come, as they arise and I think let’s not pre-empt anything. I have said that I am going to be cooperating fully and that is what the ANC, my organisation has appreciated that I will coooperate with all processes as they unfold and I have kept my word when it comes to that. And so, let us see how everything unfolds and we take things as they unfold.”

Lastly, while some investigations continue – the S89 independent probe’s conclusion on the matter sparked speculation that the President was going to resign last year following the panel’s adverse finding. The President denied those claims.

“I don’t know where that came from. I am still President. I have not resigned, as you well know, I don’t know where that came from. So the processes unfold and we deal with the matters as they unfold.”

Ramaphosa further reiterated that the ANC is now firmly on a path to its renewal.

‘Better delivery of services”

The ANC president says the renewal of the ruling party will translate into better delivery of services by the government.

Ramaphosa believes the recently concluded National Conference of the ANC in Mangaung was a watershed in the party’s ongoing process of renewing itself.

He says the conference demonstrated a unity of purpose regarding what needs to be done to meet the country’s challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality.

“When the ANC is strong when the ANC is renewed when the ANC is united that then translates what we will do in government and you heard very clearly the other clear message that the ANC will be monitoring what we do in government and it will be looking at the delivery processes that we embark upon more closely and for me that is part of the renewal processes.”

Ramaphosa says the repositioning of the country’s dysfunctional municipalities will be at the top of the list of government delivery.

“All those municipalities and I have the full number we are going to go into them and put them right. And not that in the past we did not resolve, but the resolution has been renewed and remolded also by what the conference said so we are now we are going to be moving very quickly to take action against those municipalities that are dysfunctional because they are the center of government activity from an economic point of view from a social point of view and from delivery of services point of view.”

    

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