Following the May 8 elections that allowed incumbent President Cyril Ramaphosa to rule over South Africa again, he has started cleaning up the Jacob Zuma-established cabinet. However, some analysts believe this move isn't enough to propel the economy forward.
According to Bloomberg, Ramaphosa has demoted Environment Minister Nomvula Mokonyane from his post following accusations that the latter took bribes during his ministerial tenure.
African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Ace Magashule said in a media briefing on Monday that Mokonyane has been given a parliamentary senior position instead. Mokonyane was appointed in 2014 by then president Zuma, whose nine years in government was flagged with allegations of corruption.
Changes in the South African Parliament were also announced on Monday, with Pemmy Majodina replacing Jackson Mthembu as the chief whip. Baleka Mbete has been dethroned as the Parliament speaker by Thandi Modise.
Ramaphosa also announced that his plan of reducing the number of executives in Cabinet. The South African executive administration has 35 deputies and 34 ministers. The president said the move is a cost-saving effort.
Despite Ramaphosa's efforts in cleaning up the government as he works to drive South Africa's economy towards recovery, his second term as president has been met with mixed reviews from economic experts.
Some analysts indicated uncertainty over Ramaphosa's capabilities in turning the country around for the better. Former Deputy Director-General of South Africa's National Treasury, Andrew Donaldson, said in his commentary for Project Syndicate that the government should consider some sectors as potential centers for job creation.
Donaldson, who is currently the Senior Research Associate at the University of Cape Town's Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, said Ramaphosa should consider tourism, maintenance and repair, agriculture, and other labor-intensive sectors in his scheme for employment.
Renowned political analyst and respected academic Raymond Suttner wrote on his op-ed for the Daily Maverick that Ramaphosa should start being clearer with his plans on important issues surrounding South Africa's economy.
Professor Ruttner noted that Ramaphosa should take a firmer stance against ANC members who still largely support Zuma. Analysts believe the president should take control and not avoid political battles that he should be leading if he really wants to implement reforms.
Many analysts previously pointed out that the divisiveness within the ANC could be hampering the South African economy's growth instead of supporting it and propelling it to greater heights.
News24 argued that Ramaphosa's ANC and Magashule's ANC are two different camps. Political experts believe Ramaphosa should make a clear and stern decision on how he will handle Magashule's indications of open defiance against the former.
South Africa is set to officially announce Ramaphosa as the president on May 25 and he is expected to name the official members of the new ANC administration within a few days.
