South Africa’s new cabinet sworn in

Johannesburg, May 27 (IANS) South Africa’s new cabinet was sworn in Monday amid criticism for being bloated.

The proceedings got underway with President Jacob Zuma swearing in his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa in the presidential guest house in Pretoria, Xinhua reported.

Then Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng administered the oath of office to the 35 cabinet ministers who were appointed by Zuma Sunday.

Zuma announced the cabinet ministers as the country conclude its transition to a new administration following the fifth national general elections May 7.

To improve implementation and ensure impact, Zuma reconfigured some departments while others have been expanded to improve capacity.

One of the newly established departments is the ministry of telecommunications and postal services.

Zuma has also established a new communications ministry, which will be responsible for overarching communication policy and strategy, information dissemination and publicity as well as the branding of the country abroad.

The National Planning Commission as well as the performance monitoring and evaluation ministries in the presidency have been combined into one ministry to harmonise the planning and monitoring functions.

The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) criticised the cabinet shake-up.

DA leader Hellen Zille said the new cabinet does not inspire confidence that South Africa’s major challenges – as weak economic growth, unemployment and corruption – will be tackled effectively in Zuma’s second term.

She criticised Zuma for expanding his already excessively large executive to include more new departments and several additional deputy ministers.

“What the government needs is a leaner, more effective administration, not an ever growing executive. It is clear that these new positions have little to do with efficiency, and everything to do with solving the ANC’s (African National Congress) internal political problems at public expense,” Zille said.

But the ANC Monday dismissed criticism that Zuma has appointed a bloated administration as a form of reward for his comrades.

ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte said they had to create new ministries and appoint several deputies in departments that are crucial to basic service delivery.