Zuma acolytes who must go

The new president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, is expected to reshuffle his Cabinet, probably at the weekend or early next week.

There is little doubt he would like to start with a clean slate.

Although he will probably endeavour to present a mix of old and new faces in his executive, Ramaphosa is also aware that many of those who were part of his predecessor Jacob Zuma’s defensive network are tainted by controversy, corruption and service delivery failures.

Here’s a look at those who can expect to be in his firing line.

MINISTER OF STATE SECURITY: Bongani Bongo

Newly appointed State Security Minister Bongani Bongo. Picture: Twitter/@lesterkk

The appointment of Bongani Bongo as minister of state security to replace David Mahlobo surprised many, as he was merely an ANC backbencher who had never played a substantial role in the party. He is seen as part of Zuma’s yes-men and yes-women.

MINISTER OF MINERAL RESOURCES: Mosebenzi Zwane

Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane addresses the media during the release of the 2016 health and safety statistics in the mining sector on January 19, 2017 in Randfontein, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sowetan / Veli Nhlapo)

The minister of mineral resources is unlikely to be part of a new Cabinet. Zwane is likely to be arrested and charged, alongside members of the Gupta family and others, for alleged fraud in the Estina dairy project. As MEC of agriculture for the Free State, it is alleged that Zwane and his department’s senior officials facilitated illegal transactions with the Guptas.

MINISTER OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES: Lynne Brown

Public Enterprise Minister Lynne Brown during a meeting with Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) on May 30, 2017 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sowetan / Esa Alexander)

Brown has failed to hold the boards of Eskom and Transnet to account for alleged corrupt activities. Under Brown’s leadership, Transnet allegedly fraudulently awarded tenders to foreign companies for the building of 10 locomotives. South African Airways almost ran aground while Brown dithered about removing chairperson Dudu Myeni.

MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Bathabile Dlamini

President of the ANC Women’s League Bathabile Dlamini arrives at a press conference at the ANC’s 54th National Elective conference at Nasrec, Johannesburg on 19 December 2017. Picture: Yeshiel Panchia

Dlamini is a staunch Zuma supporter who defended him at every level and accused Zuma opponents of having their own smallanyana skeletons (tiny skeletons) in their closets. As minister of social development, social grants corruption increased and she was stopped by the Constitutional Court from extending a fraudulent grants contract to Cash Paymaster Services.

MINISTER OF FINANCE: Malusi Gigaba

South African Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba, pictured in April 2017, forecasts that by 2020, 15% of economic revenue will be eaten up by debt repayment, a prognostic that conforms to S&P’s lowering the country’s credit rating

Gigaba is not only a strong Zuma ally and a fellow homeboy from Nkandla, he is at the centre of the state capture scandal involving the Gupta family. Under his watch as minister of public enterprises, most of the allegedly corrupt Gupta-related transactions occurred in state-owned enterprises such as Eskom and Transnet. He also allegedly facilitated the fast-tracking of the Gupta family’s SA citizenship.

MINISTER OF ENERGY: David Mahlobo

David Mahlobo prepares to speak to the media and reports regarding the Comittee on Safety and Security at the ANC’s 54th National Policy Conference at Nasrec, Johannesburg on 20 December 2017.

Mahlobo is at the centre of the controversial nuclear power deal with Russia, which President Cyril Ramaphosa has indicated he is opposed to. Ramaphosa said South Africa had sufficient energy sources and that nuclear energy was unnecessary. As minister of intelligence, Mahlobo’s operatives failed to forsee the violence which saw numerous schools torched in Vuwani, Limpopo.

POLICE MINISTER: Fikile Mbalula

Fikile Mbalula rubs his head during a media briefing about the results of the ANC’s Strategy and Tactics panel at the party’s 54th National Elective Conference at Nasrec, Johannesburg on 20 December 2017. Nathi Mthethwa and Mbalula spoke about changes in the panel’s policy, the importance of gender equity and the need to institute an inquiry on state capture. Picture: Yeshiel Panchia

Under Mbalula’s watch, vehicle hijackings, gang violence and organised crime syndicates have increased, while crime levels in general have risen. Recently, a group of foreign tourists were attacked. Mbalula shares the blame with his predecessor, Nathi Nhleko, for the Hawks’ failure to investigate state capture, fraud and corruption involving high-profile individuals.

MINISTER OF WATER AND SANITATION: Nomvula Mokonyane

Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane briefs media in Johannesburg, 6 November 2017, on a background session of the upcomng water infrastructure investment summit. Picture: Nigel Sibanda

Mokonyane had been a Zuma footsoldier for years and was outspoken about her allegiance to the former president. As a reward for her loyalty, Zuma appointed Mokonyane premier of Gauteng, bypassing her party’s senior ANC provincial chairperson, Paul Mashatile. She is known for controversial statements, such as: “The falling rand is no big deal; when it falls, we will pick it up.”

MINISTER OF ARTS AND CULTURE: Nathi Mthethwa

Nathi Mthethwa speaks to the media about the results of the ANC’s Strategy and Tactics panel at the party’s 54th National Elective Conference at Nasrec, Johannesburg on 20 December 2017. Mthethwa and Fikile Mbalula spoke about changes in the panel’s policy, the importance of gender equity and the need to institute an inquiry on state capture. Picture: Yeshiel Panchia

As a former police minister, Mthethwa will forever be associated with the Marikana massacre, when striking mineworkers were gunned down by heavily armed police service members in August 2012. Mthethwa stood as the Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma camp’s candidate for the position of ANC national chairperson, but was defeated by Gwede Mantashe in December 2017.

MINISTER OF COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE: Des van Rooyen

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Des van Rooyen. Picture: GCIS

Nicknamed “Weekend Special” after his short reign as minister of finance, Van Rooyen was Zuma’s replacement for sacked finance minister Nhlanhla Nene in December 2015. He was appointed to this important post as a mere ANC backbencher, which threw the markets into disarray and caused the rand to nosedive. He was, in turn, replaced by Pravin Gordhan, who returned as finance minister.

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