R2K statement on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s new cabinet
R2K notes the appointment of a new cabinet by President Cyril Ramaphosa. R2K is not sad to say goodbye to certain characters whose work was actively destructive to the public’s right to know: David Mahlobo, Bongani Bongo, Faith Muthambi especially.
However, much of this Cabinet does not look like a ‘new dawn’ as was promised, but more of the same.
In Nomvula Mokonyane, South Africa has its eighth Communications Minister in as many years, and fourth one in 12 months. This portfolio, which has a crucial role of ensuring the free flow of information and media plurality for all South Africans, has often been used either as a dumping site for non-performing Ministers or to try turn the public broadcaster and community media organisations into state mouthpieces. Mokonyane’s performance in other portfolios, most especially her recent stint as Water Affairs & Sanitation Minister, has not inspired confidence.
In Bheki Cele, we have a Minister of Police who, as former head of police, advocated police brutality and ‘shoot to kill’ policies and oversaw a corrupt leasing deal that led to his firing. We cannot forget that his attempts to cover up this deal led to the arrest and detention of journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika, and the illegal spying on the phone communication of wa Afrika and his colleague Stephan Hofstatter. Only the most junior official involved in that spying was charged and prosecuted: Cele has never come clean on his involvement in this illegal action, which was surely authorised at the highest levels. We are left wondering what Cele will do differently now that he is Minister?
However, it is the announcement of David Mabuza as incoming deputy president of South Africa that is most outrageous. As Premier of Mpumalanga Mabuza has led and managed a province that has been rife with corruption, political killings, and threats to journalists, whistleblowers and political dissidents. His open boast of having journalists spied on in his province is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Inspector General of Intelligence. Mabuza is now one heartbeat away from being President of the country.
As R2K we are dismayed by the retention of Bathabile Dlamini. She was convicted and fined in 2006 after pleading guilty to fraud in the TravelGate scandal. Since then she has done nothing in demonstrating that she has abandoned her corrupt ways. She is now the subject of an inquiry into her conduct in the social grants scandal which has plagued South Africa since 2013.
We note the appointment of Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba as Minister of State Security. We reserve judgement on the new Minister until she can show her willingness to undo the securocratic legacy of her predecessors, who have allowed the SSA to become increasingly politicised and involved in abusive and even criminal activity. Her first task must be to fire Director General Arthur Fraser as spy boss.
New dawns are made through actions, not words. So far the actions have amounted to budget cuts to social services and infrastructure, an increase in value-added tax (VAT) to 15%, and a recycling of characters in upper leadership. If nothing else, these actions are a reminder that South Africa cannot afford complacency. If we want a true new dawn, one that is based on openness, transparency, accountability, and services, we will have to work for it – by mobilising in the streets, building democracy from the ground up.
