Ramaphosa said he would appoint the new minister last week during a State of the Nation Address (SONA) in parliament.
"The resolution of the energy crisis ... requires the undivided attention of a political principal who does not need to split their time and energies among different important responsibilities," Ramaphosa said on Thursday, responding to a debate by lawmakers on his SONA speech.
(Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Alexander Winning)

Power lines run from state power supplier Eskom to the national grid, in Johannesburg, South Africa, 27 July 2022. EPA-EFE/KIM LUDBROOK