Meet the New Cabinet of South Africa’s Unity Government
A month after the historic 2024 national and provincial national elections, South Africa’s national executive as commissioned by President Cyril Ramaphosa has been announced. Hard fought, the country’s second-ever Government of National Unity (GNU) cabinet was officially released on the 30th of June 2024, with ministers from the ten-party GNU ready to serve in their designated positions.
The Cabinet that will govern in the country’s seventh administration has grown by a slim margin, with Ramaphosa adding two more ministerial positions to make it 32, while the overall number of deputy ministers has exploded appreciably from 36 to 43.
As expected, with the ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula alluding to the GNU being ANC-led, the winning party took the lion’s share of the Cabinet, with 20 ministerial positions, with the ANC’s Paul Mashatile retaining the deputy president position. The Democratic Alliance had to settle for the six positions the ANC offered them initially, whilst the Inkatha Freedom Party garnered two new posts in the Cabinet, and the Patriotic Alliance, GOOD, FF+. and the PAC all got one slot apiece.
IFP President and Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa | SUPPLIED
The most interesting aspect of Ramaphosa’s Third Cabinet is the strategic placement of ANC deputies to assist the ministers in every single post given to the DA. The sole exception to this is the of Minister of Forestries, Fisheries, and the Environment, which has a deputy from the IFP. However, the second deputy of the same position is an ANC member. This move, by the President, ensures the ANC consolidates its position as not only the leader in the GNU but also the party with its hands firmly on the rudder of the diverse ship of differing political views and party mandates.
Another glaring fact is that the DA was not given the deputy president post, which they have greatly bargained for since the beginning of GNU negotiations.
DA leader and Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen | SUPPLIED
Individual party leaders and presidents got their hands on the Cabinet pie, with the DA party’s federal leader John Steenhuisen securing the Minister of Agriculture post. Gayton McKenzie of the PA, who has been salivating for the Home Affairs post, was assigned Minister of Arts, Culture and Sports. IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa obtained Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, and the Freedom Front Plus’s Pieter Groenewald took over as Minister of Correctional Services. GOOD leader Patricia de Lille settled for Minister of Tourism.
FF+ leader and Minister of Correctional Services Pieter Groenewald | SUPPLIED
Here’s a full list of the GNU Cabinet appointed by President Ramaphosa:
Deputy President – Paul Mashatile (ANC)
Ministers of South Africa’s seventh administration (and their political parties):
Minister in the Presidency – Khumbudzo Ntshavheni. (ANC)
Minister of Agriculture – John Steenhuisen. (DA)
Minister of Basic Education – Siviwe Gwarube. (DA)
Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies – Solly Malatsi. (DA)
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs – Velenkosini Hlabisa. (IFP)
Minister of Correctional Services – Pieter Groenewald. (FF+)
Minister of Defence and Military Veterans – Angie Motshekga. (ANC)
Minister of Electricity and Energy – Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. (ANC)
Minister of Employment and Labour – Nomakhosazana Meth. (ANC)
Minister of Finance – Enoch Godongwana. (ANC)
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment – Dion George. (DA)
Minister of Health – Aaron Motsoaledi. (ANC)
Minister of Higher Education – Nobuhle Nkabane. (ANC)
Minister of Home Affairs – Leon Schreiber. (DA)
Minister of Human Settlements – Mamoloko Kubayi. (ANC)
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation – Ronald Lamola. (ANC)
Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development – Thembi Nkadimeng. (ANC)
Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development – Mzwanele Nyhontso. (the PAC)
Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources – Gwede Mantashe. (ANC)
Minister of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation – Maropene Ramokgopa. (ANC)
Minister of Police – Senzo Mchunu. (ANC)
Minister of Public Service and Administration – Mzamo Buthelezi. (IFP)
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure – Dean Macpherson. (DA)
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation – Blade Nzimande. (ANC)
Minister of Small Business Development – Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams. (ANC)
Minister of Social Development – Sisisi Tolashe. (ANC)
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture – Gayton McKenzie. (PA)
Minister of Tourism – Patricia De Lille. (GOOD)
Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition – Parks Tau. (ANC)
Minister of Transport – Barbara Creecy. (ANC)
Minister of Water and Sanitation – Pemmy Majodina. (ANC)
Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities – Sindisiwe Chikunga. (ANC)