Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya. (Photo: Elmond Jiyane / GCIS President Cyril Ramaphosa will make the announcement on his new Executive on Monday, March 6, 7pm, presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told the media on Sunday afternoon during a briefing at the Union Buildings.
Said Magwenya: “Having exercised his constitutional prerogative, the president will announce the new national executive at 7pm tomorrow, Monday 6th March 2023. This will reinforce the government's focus as the president said in SONA, on those actions that will make a meaningful difference now that will enable real progress in the next year; that will lay the foundation for a sustained recovery in the near future.”
Rumours and speculation had been swirling around news and social media platforms about a cabinet reshuffle being announced on Thursday, March 2nd. Magwenya dismissed this as being false saying there were no plans for such an announcement on the said date, and that, “There was no postponement or cancellation of such an announcement.”
Read in Daily Maverick: President Cyril Ramaphosa likely to announce rejigged Cabinet ‘in matter of days’
Magwenya said previous dates that were circulating in the media had been pure speculation as the president was concluding the swearing in of new members of parliament ahead of his reshuffle.
ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile, who is expected to fill in recently resigned David Mabuza’s position as the country’s deputy president was sworn in early February, with finance minister Enoch Gondongwana sworn in earlier this week, following the resignation of Mike Basopu as MP.
Read in Daily Maverick: Outgoing Deputy President David Mabuza the latest ANC member to resign from Parliament
Other recently sworn in ANC MPs include second secretary -general Maropene Ramokgopa, Kwa-Zulu Natal cooperative governance MEC Sihle Zikalala and former Gauteng economic development MEC Parks Tau.
It had been reported in the media on Friday that the president had postponed his plans for a reshuffle after getting a cold.
Questions were raised after Ramaphosa was spotted at a cattle auction at his controversial Phala Phala Farm on Friday evening at the Ntaba Nyoni Cattle auction dinner. In addition, a photo of the president with Ugandan MP Wilson Kajwengye was posted by the MP on social media platform Twitter, confirming that Ramaphosa had hosted the Ugandan official at his farm.
A great honour and priviledge meeting H.E @CyrilRamaphosa and his family at dinner hosted at his Phala Phala Farm. I thanked him and H.E @KagutaMuseveni promoting the Ankole cattle to greater heights and I extended invitation to the Ankole cattle society of SA 2 visit Uganda. pic.twitter.com/oXKFGREiQF
— wilson kajwengye (@WKajwengye) March 4, 2023
Confirming the engagement, Magwenya said: “On Friday the 3rd of March, President Ramaphosa honoured an engagement of the Ntaba Nyoni cattle stud. This was a dinner preceding an annual actualising his reconfiguration of the national executive’.
“The president appreciates the importance of putting in place an executive that will build on the commitment that the government has made for faster growth through our investment drive, economic reforms, employment programmes and expanding infrastructure programmes,” the presidency spokesperson said. DM