SACP slams Cabinet reshuffle talks, Ramaphosa says he is ‘applying his mind’

The South African Communist Party (SACP) has criticised ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula over his comments regarding a possible Cabinet reshuffle.

Speaking at the Joe Slovo commemoration event held in Soweto on Friday, SACP general-secretary Solly Mapaila slammed Mbalula, saying that conversations around a Cabinet reshuffle were being held without consulting the tripartite alliance.

The SACP is ANC’s alliance partner, alongside the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).

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“I hear comrade Fikile, he pronounces there are debates about the reshuffle of Cabinet. I do not know about that. I am general secretary of the SACP, where does he get that mandate?

“It is these things that are disrespectful to us. We will not accept these tendencies because why are we here? That somebody takes decisions on their own and imposes them on us? We are not that party. That time has come and passed,” he said. 

Reconfiguration

Mapaila also warned that the tripartite alliance could collapse if not reconfigured and this will lead to the SACP challenging the ANC in the upcoming 2024 general elections.

“If the alliance remains not reconfigured [and] if there’s no tangible progress towards the reconfiguration process [then] the SACP has already taken a decision,” he said.

RELATED: Mapaila says SACP is ready to contest 2024 elections, questions whether the working class is ready

The ANC-led alliance has in the recent past been fraught with challenges over decision-making and government’s policy direction, with calls for the reconfiguration of the partnership.

“It is not personal, it’s about collective leadership. Let’s exercise political leadership and collective accountability.

“If you do it on your own, account to the people and leave us out. If you want an alliance, you must show appreciation for the alliance,” Mapaila continued.

Watch Mapaila’s speech below:

‘Applying his mind’

Earlier this week, Mbalula revealed that the ANC would resolve the Cabinet reshuffle matter in two weeks

This after some current ministers failed to make it into the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) at the party’s December elective conference.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor and Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu are among officials left out of the NEC.

READ MORE: Instead of a cabinet reshuffle, Ramaphosa needs to clean house

But President Cyril Ramaphosa has since indicated he will decide on a Cabinet reshuffle when he has “applied his mind”. 

“Wait for the moment when the president has applied his mind and stop asking when is that going to happen. The president will apply his mind, and as always, we will be coming to you all and the nation and telling you what will happen,” he told the media on Friday ahead of ANC’s golf day celebrations in Bloemfontein. 

Ramaphosa added: “Relax, have a cup of coffee, sit back and watch this space.”

The president’s last changes to his government took place in August 2021.