Ramaphosa cabinet reshuffle — all the new ministers

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced changes to the national executive.

The move follows calls for the president to sack his security cluster ministers after failing to anticipate or adequately respond to the looting and public violence that gripped KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July.

Several business leaders and even former Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa have said that there is no way Ramaphosa can justify keeping the security cluster ministers.

While businesses were burning and people were dying, Cele and Dlodlo commended their departments for the excellent work to prevent and manage the looting and violence.

Dlodlo also contradicted the rest of the security cluster regarding the cause of the riots.

While Ramaphosa had informed the nation that the attacks were an attempted insurrection, Dlodlo told media that there was no evidence to suggest the attacks were a coordinated attempt to destabilise the government.

“There is no coup here; there is no insurrection here,” Dlodlo told parliament.

In addition to the calls to fire Dlodlo and Cele, health minister Zweli Mkhize has been the subject of ongoing media reports of corruption at the Department of Health.

Known as the Digital Vibes scandal, the Special Investigating Unit has alleged that Mkhize, members of his family, and former associates benefited from a corrupt contract.

News24 reported that Mkhize tendered his resignation at the last minute, as Ramaphosa called a meeting with ANC and alliance leaders to finalise the changes to his executive.

Zweli Mkhize and Cyril Ramaphosa

Ramaphosa confirmed the report, saying that he received a request from Mkhize to allow him to step down to bring certainty and stability to this important portfolio.