Pretoria — Almost half of the Cabinet announced by President Jacob Zuma on Sunday consists of women.

Fourteen Ministers and 12 Deputy Ministers are women, putting the representation of women in the new Cabinet at almost 42%.

The women ministers are:

- Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tina Joemat-Petterson

- Minister of Arts and Culture, Lulu Xingwana

- Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga

- Minister of Correctional Services, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula

- Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu

- Minister of Energy, Dipuo Peters

- Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

- Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane

- Minister of Mining, Susan Shabangu

- Minister of Public Enterprises, Barbara Hogan

- Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor

- Minister of Social Development , Edna Molewa

- Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Buyelwa Sonjica

- Minister of Women, Youth, Children and People with Disabilities, Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya

The women deputy ministers are:

- Deputy Minister of Correctional Services, Hlengiwe Mkhize

- Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde

- Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Molefi Sefularo

- Deputy Minister of Human Settlements Zou Kota

- Deputy Minister of Public Works, Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu

- Deputy Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini

- Deputy Minister of Tourism, Thozile Xasa

- Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry (1), Thandi Tobias

- Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry (2), Maria Ntuli

- Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Rejoice Mabhudafhasi

- Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Sue van der Merwe

- Deputy Minister of Communications, Dina Pule

The African National Congress (ANC) had included more women in it list of candidates to fill its seats in the National Assembly.

There was an increase of women by about 45 percent, putting South Africa third in the global women in Parliament rankings, behind Rwanda and Sweden.

This puts the country firmly on course to achieve the Southern African Development Community (SADC) target of 50 percent women in political decision-making by 2015.

Gender Links spokesperson Kubi Rama told BuaNews last week that the increase in women's representation in the National Assembly was the largest seen in South Africa since the first democratic election in 1994.

The ANC, in its list of Members of Parliament, has increased their women representation.