EDN Reporter
The South African political landscape is on tenterhooks regarding the position of Deputy President following David Mabuza’s resignation.
Mabuza on Saturday said he had given President Cyril Ramaphosa his resignation letter. However, Ramaphosa has instead, requested him to remain in his role until the management of his “departure and transition” is finalised.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya on Sunday said: “Deputy President Mabuza has expressed his desire to step down from his position, following the outcome of the governing party’s leadership elections in December 2022. However, President Ramaphosa has requested the deputy president to remain in his role until such time the modalities of his departure and transition have been finalised.”
Ramaphosa finally broke his silence on the matter after Mabuza told mourners at a funeral service in Mpumalanga on Saturday that the President had “accepted” his resignation and that an announcement on his departure was looming.
During his address, Mabuza said he was making space for the ANC’s deputy president, Paul Mashatile following the December elective conference.
His announcement comes as Ramaphosa is expected to announce a cabinet reshuffle in the coming days. The reshuffle follows some of his current ministers failing to make it into the party’s National Executive Committee, its highest decision-making body.
Others also hold full-time jobs at Luthuli House, necessitating them to leave their government jobs. Secretary General Fikile Mbalula will be replaced as the country’s minister of transport with the like of former Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal premiers, David Makhura and Sihle Zikalala expected to be sworn into Parliament alongside Mashatile.
Sources in the party have indicated that Makhura and Zikalala are in line for ministerial positions. Ramaphosa however faces a conundrum where he is expected to appoint “committed” individuals instead of rewarding individuals that supported his campaign for a second term.
Ramaphosa will deliver his state of the nation address in Cape Town on Thursday. The swearing-in of Mashatile and others as MPs is expected to take place on Monday.
