Cape Town — New South African President Kgalema Motlanthe has unexpectedly removed controversial Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang from her portfolio.
Tshabalala-Msimang, who was criticized by South African civil society and many members of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for not implementing HIV/Aids policies aggressively enough, was shifted into the post of "Minister in the Presidency."
Motlanthe also removed Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla, who was held responsible for political interference with prosecution decisions by the judge whose recent findings in the case against ANC leader Jacob Zuma precipitated the events which brought Motlanthe to power. Mabandla was given the portfolio responsible for state enterprises.
The changes were the main surprises of Motlanthe's acceptance speech, delivered to Parliament in Cape Town after he was elected and sworn in as the country's third democratically-elected president on Thursday.
Motlanthe reinstated Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, whose formal resignation triggered declines in stock market indices on Tuesday, and said he would continue to implement ANC policies "unchanged."
"Mine is not the desire to deviate from what is working," Motlanthe said. "It is not for me to reinvent policy. Nor do I intend to reshape either Cabinet or the public service."
One other cabinet minister was transferred to another post: Charles Nqakula, responsible for the police, was moved into the defence portfolio to fill a vacancy. Nqakula has been criticised by the opposition, but not by the ANC, for the country's high crime rate.
Motlanthe was forced to reshuffle the cabinet when ministers loyal to outgoing President Thabo Mbeki ignored ANC calls for them to stay in place and insisted that they were not available for re-appointment. Motlanthe's administration is expected to serve until April or May next year, when elections are due.
Motlanthe appointed eight ministers new to the cabinet, three to fill the health, justice and police portfolios and five to fill other vacancies left by Mbeki loyalists.
The new appointments are: Baleka Mbete, deputy president; Sicelo Shiceka, provincial and local government; Richard Baloyi, public service; Geoff Doidge, public works; Siyabonga Cwele, intelligence; Barbara Hogan, health; Nathi Mthethwa, safety and security (police); and Enver Surty, justice.
Mbete was earlier tipped as a candidate for president. She has been the parliamentary speaker since 2004 and was elected as national chair of the ANC during the conference last December which elected Zuma as leader and Mothlanthe as deputy leader of the party.
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Re Manto, it seems that something good can come out of something bad after all.
That was just a very very impulsive and horrible move by Kgalema. He's acting just as rashly as the misguided souls who ousted Mbeki prematurely.
It is insane to remove an African leader, Manto, to be replaced with one of the criminal invaders!
These misguided African leaders are playing right into the devilish "divide and dominate and destroy" hands of the evil Europeans.
ALL European members of ANC have at most only helped to right the wrongs of their fellow criminal invaders. THEY SHOULD NOT BE REWARDED WITH LEADERSHIP OVER AFRICANS!
For anyone to support Manto at this stage simply because she is not an invader is absolutely astounding. The fact is her replacement - is an original ANC activist who was tortured by the apartheid government and then spent +8 years in jail for her socialistic non-racial beliefs. She married an Indian South African - Ahmad Kathrada - who spent years on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela.
The idea that Africa is only for dark skinned africans is as absurd and criminal as France not accepting their new immigrants in Paris.
Many African Countries have been without Colonial leaders since the mid 1960's - that is over forty years ago. Since then people have gone to the money, Communism has come and gone in various countries. The micro computer, internet, celphones etc have been invented. Two generations have been born and a third entering the world. I can understand that economic strings continue to bind african countries - but I think you owe it to your children why at least on the political front a lot of africa does not take responsibility for its own democratic capablities. This move is democracy. An african democracy in the year 2008.
Welcome, Mr. President a new day has dawned for the black civilization. Bravo on the matter of preserving and restoring the people of Africa. AIDS will wipe out your people and they'll be forgotten in a few hundred years.
South Africans must realise they are the SUPER POWER of the African continent and it is on them that the responsibilty rest of leading the rest of Africa to peace and prosperity for all. The possibility and the odds of restoring one's people whom have never known peace and reconciliation and have no idea what it's like not to see violence or beggars on the streets, crime, utter poverty and their babies (Future of Africa) sleeping on card board under bridges is much better than in the days of apartheid. The stage is set to showcase your unity and earn the respect of the rest of the world when hosting the world cup. All eyes on South Africa 2010. Restoring your people will help solve the crime problem.
THE ENTIRE ISSUE IN SOUTH AFRICA AND FOR SOUTH AFRICANS OF ALL ETHNIES IS THE ONE OF LAND! LAND! THE EUROPEAN SOUTH AFRICAN MINORITY STLL CONTROLS THE VAST LANDS OF THE COUNTRY. THE MAJORITY OF THE NATIVE SOUTH AFRICANS BARELY CONTROL THE TINY LAND OF THE COUNTRY. THE ANC AND THE PANAFRICAN PARTIES, THE COMMUNIST PARTY WHO FOR DECADES BORED THE BRUNT OF THE APARTHEID NAZI REGIME MADE THE GREAT SACRIFICE FOR THE CONTROL OF THE LANDS. SINCE THE ADVENT OF THE ANCS RULE NOTHING HAD CHANGED. INSTEAD, THE ARE BEING FIGHTING FIERCELY THE ROBERT MUGABES DECISION TO RECOVER THE LANDS SPOLIATED BY THE CRIMINAL BRITISH COLONIAL POWER. I WISH THAT IN DAAYS TO COME, THE NEW SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT WOULD DEFEND THE CAUSE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE SOUTH AFRICA LANDLESS FARMERS! PUTTING AN END TO FUTILE BICKERING ABOUT WHO WOULD THE BOSS.