Government
After nearly two weeks of rigorous negotiations, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the composition of the Seventh administration’s National Executive in a late national address on 30 June, 2024.
This was the longest it had taken for the newly sworn-in President to announce his Cabinet, taking 11 days since his inauguration on 19 June.
Ramaphosa said that it took some time to ensure the “stability of the Cabinet,” and negotiations needed their time to ensure that the Cabinet best served the country.
The Seventh administration is a different playing field from the previous administrations.
For the first time in South Africa’s democratic history, no single party obtained an outright majority in the general elections, with the incumbent African National Congress (ANC) falling to around 40% of the vote.
Thus, a co-governing agreement labeled the Government of National Unity (GNU) has been agreed to by 11 political parties represented in the National Assembly. The President had to constitute a Cabinet that juggled the wants of the ANC, its alliance partners, and members of the GNU.
Because of this juggling act, the President also reconfigured the Cabinet, saying that he could not reduce the size of the National Executive if he wanted to include the parties that he did.
These include:
- Ministries of Electricity and Energy will now be merged;
- A Ministry for Mineral and Petroleum Resources;
- Ministry of Agriculture separate from Land Reform and Rural Development;
- Separate the Ministry of Higher Education from Science, Technology and Innovation;
- Separate the Ministry Justice and Constitutional Development from Correctional Services;
- Dissolve the Ministry of Public Enterprises.
There are now 32 ministries.
The following parties are represented in Cabinet as ministers:
- African National Congress (ANC);
- Democratic Alliance (DA);
- Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP);
- Patriotic Alliance (PA);
- Freedom Front Plus (FF +);
- Pan Africanist Congress (PAC);
- GOOD.
The table below outlines all the changes:
| Ministry Position | 6th Administration | 7th Administration |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy President | Paul Mashatile (ANC) | Paul Mashatile (ANC) |
| Electricity and Energy | Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa (ANC) and Gwede Mantashe (ANC) | Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa (ANC) |
| Presidency: Planning, monitoring and evaluation | Maropene Ramokgopa (ANC) | Maropene Ramokgopa (ANC) |
| Minister in the Presidency | Khumbudzo Ntshavheni (ANC) | Khumbudzo Ntshavheni (ANC) |
| Women, Youth and Persons With Disabilities | Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (ANC) | Sindisiwe Chikunga (ANC) |
| Agriculture | Thoko Didiza (ANC) | John Steenhuisen (DA) |
| Land Reform and Rural Development | Thoko Didiza (ANC) | Mzwanele Nyhontso (PAC) |
| Basic Education | Angie Motshekga (ANC) | Siviwe Gwarube (DA) |
| Communications and Digital Technologies | Mondli Gungubele (ANC) | Solly Malatsi (DA) |
| Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs | Thembi Nkadimeng (ANC) | Velenkhosi Hlabisa (IFP) |
| Defence and Military Veterans | Thandi Modise (ANC) | Angie Motshekga (ANC) |
| Employment and Labour | Thulas Nxesi (ANC) | Nomakhosazana Meth (ANC) |
| Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, | Barbara Creecy (ANC) | Dr. Dion George (DA) |
| Finance | Enoch Godongwana (ANC) | Enoch Godongwana (ANC) |
| Health | Joe Phaahla (ANC) | Dr. Aaron Motsoeledi (ANC) |
| Science and Technology and Innovation | Blade Nzimande (SACP/ANC) | Blade Nzimande (SACP/ANC) |
| Higher Education | Blade Nzimande (SACP/ANC) | Dr. Nobuhle Nkabane (ANC) |
| Home Affairs | Aaron Motsoaledi (ANC) | Dr. Leon Schreiber (DA) |
| Human Settlements | Mmamoloko Kubayi (ANC) | Mmamoloko Kubayi (ANC) |
| International Relations and Cooperation | Naledi Pandor (ANC) | Ronald Lamola (ANC) |
| Justice and Constitutional Development | Ronald Lamola (ANC) | Thembi Nkadimeng (ANC) |
| Correctional Services | Ronald Lamola (ANC) | Dr. Pieter Groenewald (FF+) |
| Mineral and Petroleum Resources | Gwede Mantashe (ANC) | Gwede Mantashe (ANC) |
| Police | Bheki Cele (ANC) | Senzo Mchunu (ANC) |
| Public Enterprises | Pravin Gordhan (ANC) | N/A |
| Public Service and Administration | Noxolo Kiviet (ANC) | Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi (IFP) |
| Public Works and Infrastructure | Sihle Zikalala (ANC) | Dean Macpherson (DA) |
| Small Business Development | Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams (ANC) | Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams (ANC) |
| Social Development | Lindiwe Zulu (ANC) | Sisisi Tolashe (ANC) |
| Sports, Arts and Culture | Zizi Kodwa (Resigned) (ANC) | Gayton Mackenzie (PA) |
| Tourism | Patricia de Lille (GOOD) | Patricia de Lille (GOOD) |
| Trade, Industry and Competition | Ebrahim Patel (ANC) | Parks Tau (ANC) |
| Transport | Sindisiwe Chikunga (ANC) | Barbara Creecy (ANC) |
| Water and Sanitation | Senzo Mchunu (ANC) | Pemmy Majodina (ANC) |
Deputy ministers are appointed by the President, but are not members of the Cabinet. They rather assist the abovementioned cabinet ministers in the execution of their duties.
The following parties have representation as deputy ministers:
- ANC;
- DA;
- IFP;
- Al Jama-ah;
- United Democratic Movement (UDM).
Below is the changes in deputy ministers.
Note that deputy ministers are appointed by the President, and are not members of the Cabinet. They rather assist the abovementioned cabinet ministers in the execution of their duties.
| Deputy Ministry Position | 6th Administration | 7th Administration |
|---|---|---|
| The Presidency | Nomasonto Motaung (ANC) & Kenneth Morolong (ANC) | Nonceba Mhlauli (ANC) & and Kenneth Morolong (ANC) |
| Women, Youth and Persons With Disabilities | Sisisi Tolashe (ANC) | Mmapaseka Steve Letsike (ANC) |
| Electricity and Energy | Samantha Graham (DA) | |
| Agriculture | Rosemary Capa (ANC) | Rosemary Nokuzola Capa (ANC) |
| Basic Education | Reginah Mhaule (ANC) | Reginah Mhaule (ANC) |
| Communications and Digital Technologies | Philly Mapulane (ANC) | Mondli Gungubele (ANC) |
| Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs | Parks Tau (ANC) & Zolile Burns-Ncamashe (ANC) | Dickson Masemola (ANC) and Zolile Burns‐Ncamashe (ANC) |
| Correctional Services | Patekile Holomisa (ANC) | Lindiwe Ntshalintshali (ANC) |
| Defence and Military Veterans | Thabang Makwetla (ANC) | Bantu Holomisa (UDM) and Richard Mkhungo (ANC) |
| Employment and Labour | Boitumelo Moloi (ANC) | Jomo Sibiya (ANC) and Phumzile Mgcina (ANC) |
| Environment, Forestry and Fisheries | Maggie Sotyu (ANC) | Narend Singh (IFP) and Bernice Swarts (ANC) |
| Finance | David Masondo (ANC) | David Masondo (ANC) and Ashor Sarupen (DA) |
| Health | Sibongiseni Dhlomo (ANC) | Dr. Joe Phaahla (ANC) |
| Science, Technology and Innovation | Buti Manamela (ANC) | Nomalungelo Gina (ANC) |
| Higher Education | Buti Manamela (ANC) | Buti Manamela (ANC) and Mimmy Gondwe (DA) |
| Home Affairs | Njabulo Nzuza (ANC) | Njabulo Nzuza (ANC) |
| Human Settlements | Pam Tshwete (ANC) | Tandi Mahambehlala (ANC) |
| International Relations and Cooperation | Candith Mashego-Dlamini (ANC) & Alvin Botes (ANC) | Alvin Botes (ANC) and Tandi Moraka (ANC) |
| Justice and Constitutional Development | John Jeffery (ANC) | Andries Nel (ANC) |
| Land Reform | Mcebisi Skwatsha (ANC) | Chupu Stanley Mathabatha (ANC) |
| Mineral and Petroleum Resources | Nobuhle Nkabane (ANC) | Judith Nemadzinga‐Tshabalala (ANC) |
| Police | Cassel Mathale (ANC) | Polly Boshielo (ANC) and Cassel Mathale (ANC) |
| Public Enterprises | Obed Bapela (ANC) | N/A |
| Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation | Pinky Kekana (ANC) | Judith Nemadzinga‐Tshabalala (ANC) |
| Public Service and Administration | Chana Pilane-Majake (ANC) | Pinky Kekana (ANC) |
| Public Works and Infrastructure | Bernice Swarts (ANC) | Sihle Zikalala (ANC) |
| Small Business Development | Dipuo Peters (Suspended) (ANC) | Jane Sithole (DA) |
| Social Development | Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu (ANC) | Ganief Hendricks (Al Jama-ah) |
| Sports, Arts and Culture | Nocawe Mafu (ANC) | Peace Mabe (ANC) |
| Tourism | Amos Fish Mahlalela (ANC) | Maggie Sotyu (ANC) |
| Trade, Industry and Competition | Fikile Majola (ANC) & Nomalungelo Gina (ANC) | Zuko Godlimpi(ANC) and Andrew Whitfield (DA) |
| Transport | Lisa Mangcu (ANC) | Mkhuleko Hlengwa (IFP) |
| Water and Sanitation | David Mahlobo (ANC) & Judith Tshabalala (ANC) | David Mahlobo (ANC) and Isaac Seitlholo (DA) |
Read: The ANC’s monopoly on South Africa’s economy is broken – what comes next
