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SA presidency refutes report about cabinet reshuffle

Xinhua, March 21, 2016 Adjust font size:

The South African Presidency on Sunday refuted press reports that President Jacob Zuma would reshuffle the cabinet in the coming week.

"The Presidency wishes to refute the story published by independent newspapers about an alleged imminent cabinet reshuffle by the president during the coming week," the presidential spokesperson Bogani Majola said in a statement.

The report said the president is planning to remove from cabinet, the Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe, Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies as well as Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande.

"The report is mischievous and is clearly designed to sow divisions, uncertainty and confusion," Majola said.

The president's current focus is to implement the program of action arising from the State of the Nation Address and the fiscal consolidation program outlined in the Budget Speech delivered by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in February, said Majola.

"All Ministers and Departments have been directed by the president to focus on this program of action," the spokesperson said.

The attempts to divert them and cause unease and uncertainty within the national executive of government is rejected outright, he added.

But a cabinet shuffle was also raised by the SA Communist Party on Thursday. The party said it had reliable information that another cabinet shuffle inspired by the Indian Gupta family was imminent, with its executive member, Davies, to be one of those replaced.

The wealthy Gupta family has been on spotlight for reportedly interfering in SA political affairs by allegedly offering cabinet positions for the exchange of business interests. Enditem