There has effectively been limited change to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet. He has largely recycled names from the old guard – those who have served in previous administrations – or simply shuffled ministers and deputies from departments.

At least one minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula was fired while her security cluster colleague Ayanda Dlodlo was demoted from State Security Minister to Public Service and Administration. Police Minister Bheki Cele was left unscathed. Pressure had been mounting on President Ramaphosa to take this cluster to task over its serious intelligence failings in the lead up and during the deadly unrest witnessed in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng last month.

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni and suspended Health Minister Zweli Mkhize both resigned. Enoch Godongwana and Joe Phaahla have been appointed to these positions respectively. However there is a cloud hanging over Godongwana who is the  head of the ANC’s economic transformation subcommittee and chairperson of the Development Bank of Southern Africa. In 2012 Godongwana resigned from government after allegations that a company he was involved in stole millions from workers through their pension funds.

[Picture: Presidency RSA]