Discontinued Inc – Ministers and deputies who were demoted, quit or got the chop

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced his new executive on Sunday evening which saw many new faces. However, several ANC members lost their cushy government posts or have been demoted.

Discontinued Inc – Ministers and deputies who were demoted, quit or got the chop

Bheki Cele has been axed as police minister following years of calls for his removal. While it’s not clear why President Cyril Ramaphosa decided to boot him out of the position, Cele has had his fair share of controversies.

In 2023, the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests found that Cele breached the Code of Ethical Conduct with his behaviour at a SAPS Imbizo in Cape Town in July 2022, where Cele is alleged to have become irate and shouted at Action Society’s Ian Cameron, telling him to “shut up”.

The complainant alleged that Cele did not behave in the calm and dignified manner required by the high office he holds. It was recommended to the National Assembly that he apologise in the House for his conduct toward Cameron.

The DA also laid a complaint against Cele for attending the Rugby World Cup in Paris, France with an undisclosed amount of funding obtained from an unnamed “private company”.

They also claimed that South African taxpayers covered his assistant’s bill to join him in Paris for a staggering R446,339.43.

Outgoing ministers

At least nine ANC ministers and deputies are no longer in the national executive following Ramaphosa’s government of national unity (GNU) Cabinet announcement on Sunday.

From this group, former public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan, former minister of women, youth and persons living with disabilities Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and deputy minister of human settlements Pam Tshwete have chosen to retire.

Thandi Modise is no longer minister of defence and military veterans. Cele has been replaced by Senzo Mchunu as minister of police, while Naledi Pandor is no longer the minister of international relations and cooperation.

Lindiwe Zulu has been axed and is no longer minister of social development and ⁠Ebrahim Patel has been removed as the minister of trade, industry and competition. The SACP’s Thulas Nxesi is no longer minister of labour and employment.

Three ANC bigwigs have been demoted to deputy ministers. Sihle Zikalala was minister of public works and infrastructure but is now the deputy minister in the same department. The DA’s Dean Mcpherson is now the minister in the department.

Joe Phaahla is now the deputy health minister with Aaron Motsoaledi heading the department. Mondli Gungubele was communications minister and now is the deputy minister in the same department which will be run by the DA’s Solly Malatsi. DM

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