Cape Town – All eyes will be on President Cyril Ramaphosa from January 8 onwards for several reasons.
The questions on everyone’s mind include: who will Ramaphosa appoint as his new Cabinet ministers? Could the newly elected ANC national executive committee (NEC) muscle Ramaphosa to chop those who didn’t make the NEC list from his executive?And could he finally use the ostensible performance contracts he made Cabinet ministers sign?
Unlike his predecessor, former president Jacob Zuma, Ramaphosa hasn’t been trigger happy in relation to his Cabinet to the chagrin of both his backers and opponents.
However, he’s going to have to appoint a new minister after Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula took up the position of ANC secretary-general at its recent elective conference, effectively making him the party’s chief executive.
Mbalula will be gung-ho on the ground in his attempts to lead a declining ANC to election victory in 2024. As transport minister, Mbalula leaves a trail of potholes, a poor public transport system and some successes in his wake.
Notably, the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) recently said the country’s roads now have about 25 million potholes.
Mbalula, who is notorious for joking on Twitter, is now in charge of the governing party’s day-to-day running and will be entrusted with delivering important statements on policies and serious issues affecting the country and the ANC.
Ramaphosa can also now appoint a minister of public service and administration which has since April, 2021 been without a political head after the resignation of Ayanda Dlodlo, who took up a directorship with the World Bank.
Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has been acting as Public Service and Administration Minister.
Ramaphosa is also expected to announce a deputy president to occupy the West Wing office in the Union Buildings, which is likely to be newly elected ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile.
The president is set to deliver the ANC’s January 8 statement in Bloemfontein next week, which will see the continuation of the Nasrec conference in December, that was adjourned to Sunday.
The party was founded on January 8, 1912 and since 1994, the occasion has been marked with the release of a “major statement” by the ANC’s NEC for the new year.
Ramaphosa’s next major address will be the annual State of the Nation Address (Sona) to the joint sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces at 7pm on February 9, 2023 where he is expected to detail the government’s key policy objectives and deliverables for this year.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is expected to deliver his Budget Speech that will give a definite answer to the basic income grant in February, after the president has delivered his Sona.
The official opposition, the DA, is to hold its elective conference in April, where its leader John Steenhuisen is hoping for re-election.
Tuesday marked one year since a fire ravaged the National Assembly building.
Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo announced that presiding officers, National Council of Provinces chairperson Amos Masondo and National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will later this week at a media briefing share with the nation details of the House’s rebuilding programme and a timeline.
Cape Argus
