President tells media not to rush him on reshuffle

President Cyril Ramaphosa says he will not give in to media pressure on expected cabinet changes. 

This was his reply on Friday when asked when he will reshuffle his cabinet after the ANC’s 55th national conference.

“That is the most pre-eminent thing in your thoughts. Just obliterate that and wait for the moment when the president will have applied his mind and stop asking when is that going to happen, he said at the presidential golf day at the Bloemfontein Golf Club.

“So relax, have a cup of coffee, sit back and watch this space,” he said, chuckling. 

The president is expected to axe some ministers who did not make the cut for the new ANC national executive committee (NEC) and introduce newcomers to the structure.

The country is also waiting to see how Ramaphosa will deal with members of his executive who were a thorn in his side, such as tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu and co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Freshly elected ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has said he will lobby Ramaphosa to include “youthful” ministers in his government to accelerate service delivery.

Ramaphosa said the task ahead is to ensure that  resolutions taken at the conference are implemented.

“So the ANC is well-geared and prepared to take the lives of our people further and better. All that remains now is action and implementation, which we are going to focus on because the ANC is renewing itself.

“Once the ANC renews and unites itself, it becomes a formidable force, a mighty force that it has always been. So that’s exactly what we are going to focus on.

“Everyone has a sense that we must accept and work with the leadership that has been elected.”

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