President Jacob Zuma has announced changes to the national cabinet, including a new minister of communications, and energy.<\/p>\n
In a statement released on Tuesday, the presidency said the following changes would be made to the National Executive:<\/p>\n
The friction between SACP general secretary and now former minister of higher education Blade Nzimande has been heavily publicised<\/a><\/strong>, with the SACP actively calling for Zuma to step down over the past few months.<\/p>\n Similarly, Zuma was likely left with no choice in replacing the deputy minister of higher education,\u00a0Mduduzi Manana, after he was charged with assaulting two women at a Johannesburg nightclub in August.<\/p>\n The appointment of\u00a0David Mahlobo as\u00a0the minister of energy on the day that the parliamentary inquiry into state capture at Eskom is also conspicuous, with Mahlobo previously being labelled <\/a><\/strong>as “Zuma’s prime minister”.<\/p>\n In September he was implicated as part of the “new Guptas” – a group including Gayton McKenzie and Kenny Kunene –\u00a0in a new multibillion-rand gas deal with Russia.<\/p>\n He has also been heavily criticised for not pursuing former public protector Thuli Mandonsela’s report on state capture against President Zuma.<\/p>\n “I thank the former members of the National Executive for good service in their previous portfolios. I wish the members who are assuming new portfolios all the best in their new responsibilities,” the presidency said.<\/p>\n
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