How long will the likes of transport minister Fikile Mbalula and tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu last in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet and does the president even have the resolve and power to remove them?
Mbalula has been overly bombastic recently with his tweets about landing in Ukraine, which was a lie, and his utterances over public policy like fixing Prasa and bringing an end to e-tolls but surely his conduct has drawn the ire of Ramaphosa?
Similarly, Sisulu called the president an outright liar in public after a meeting she had with Ramaphosa following the publication of several articles purportedly written by her, which criticised the South African judiciary, earlier this year.
Why hasn’t Ramaphosa removed these two from the cabinet and why does he keep them around after they have so publicly embarrassed him and more importantly the government and the ANC?
Stephen Grootes analyses why this may be the case in his latest piece for the Daily Maverick where he breaks down Mbalula’s Teflon status and delves into whether Ramaphosa actually has the political capital to do what he wants.
Here’s a round-up of what we’re reading:
Pieter du Toit | Mantashe – Zuma man, Bosasa beneficiary, and ANC enforcer but not a Cabinet minister – News24 (for subscribers)
Mbhazima Shilowa | Trade unions are still relevant, but only if acting in best interest of workers – News24 (for subscribers)
ROB ROSE: Stalingrad, Markus Jooste style – Financial Mail (for subscribers)
JONATHAN JANSEN | Stop pissing about, varsities, and teach modules on race – Sunday Times Daily (for subscribers)
Deadline looms for electoral reform that will shape SA politics for decades to come – Daily Maverick
Will Godongwana extend the fuel levy reprieve or brace for inflationary pressures? – Daily Maverick
New norms created by Covid-19 slowly becoming acceptable – The Citizen (for subscribers)
