They say in every war there are casualties, and it would seem President Jacob Zuma has gone to war far too many times, leaving a trail of body bags in his wake.
This week the man from Nkandla caught many, including those in the ruling party, by surprise when he announced a cabinet reshuffle at a special press conference – the third such reshuffle since he came to power.
Lindiwe Sisulu was moved from the defence and military veterans ministry to the troubled public service and administration ministry; she was replaced by Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the former correctional services minister.
Ben Martins was appointed to the transport ministry. Sbu Ndebele, who previously headed the transport ministry, is now heading correctional services.
Ndebele’s deputy is Sindisiwe Chikunga who headed the police portfolio committee. Other deputies include the SACP’s Jeremy Cronin and ANC Youth League NEC member Mduduzi Manana.
Since he came to power, President Zuma has changed his cabinet once every year since 2010.
One would swear he is trying to match the rate at which he fills his harem in Nkandla with wives with the rate at which he changes ministers.
It’s not the changes that gets to me. It’s the kind of people he actually puts in. In October 2010, for example, President Zuma announced what was regarded as a major shake-up in his government, replacing ministers and creating new deputies for those that didn’t have any, including the new ones.
Among the changes was Siphiwe Nyanda replaced by Roy Padayachie in communications; Edna Molewa replaced by Bathabile Dlamini as social development minister; sports minister Makhenkhesi Stofile replaced by Fikile Mbalula who had been moved from the police ministry as deputy to Nathi Mthethwa after the two fell out; and at the troubled public works department, Geoff Doidge was controversially replaced by Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde – who as we know by now proved to be the worst.
“We had to change the way government works in order to improve service delivery. Our mission was guided by improving the quality of the lives of South Africans,” Zuma said that time.
But quality of life it wasn’t. Ministries such as that of Mahlangu-Nkabinde’s were marred by corruption allegations and became dysfunctional. She was sacked.
The service delivery that Zuma was trying to address never reached people who needed it, and more disgruntled citizens continue to go on a rampage as we speak.
Then a year later Zuma was forced to make more changes after firing Mahlangu-Nkabinde, one of the people he entrusted with ensuring good governance and service delivery. He also had to replace Sicelo Shiceka who was found guilty of corruption for stealing taxpayers’ money and splashing it on gifts and overseas visits.
Maybe this is third time lucky.
But if we look at the trends, President Zuma’s appointments have always meant to appease those close to him. Or, as Hellen Zille puts it, those who he thinks will be willing to “serve as his vocal cheerleaders”. Others are appointed as a way of repaying them for support and loyalty.
And more often as we know, they’ve disappointed.
The problem with constant changes is that while it brings fresh blood and thinking into ministries, it affects continuity. It’s disruptive to governance and delivery of services.
However, with this reshuffling, it would seem Zuma is setting his sights on Mangaung where he is seeking second term. Many think he’s building a wall with people who will ensure his re-election; neutralising those that he thinks could pose a threat to him, rewarding his enemies’ opponents, and protecting those close to him by moving them out of troubled ministries. It would seem it had nothing to do with performance.
For example, by bringing in Ben Martins, Zuma is seen as trying to consolidate the support he has already in the SACP, or one could call it rewarding the Reds for being the loudest during The Spear saga.
Lindiwe Sisulu, who reportedly cried upon hearing the news, has been touted as one of those who want Zuma replaced in Mangaung with some suggesting she, just like Tokyo Sexwale, may be the surprise pack to stand against him. She angered Zuma by making it difficult for him to have the control of the defence ministry. With this “demotion” to public administration, Zuma has ensured Sisulu is neutralised.
Mduduzi Manana is known to be a member of the ANCYL NEC who has been vocal against Julius Malema, and one who supports Malema’s firing. The 28-year-old son of Mpumalanga safety security and liaison MEC Sibongile Manana is part of the group within the youth league that supports Zuma’s second term. He hasn’t set foot in his new office as deputy minister of higher education and training, but already Sasco is calling for his head.
“The appointment of Mr Manana demonstrates that the ANC led government does not take education seriously. How on earth can our ANC-led government appoint such a person with no track record on issues related to education, let alone higher education…” Sasco said.
What also raised eyebrows is the moving of those responsible for the mess that is e-tolling to new homes. Transport minister Sbu Ndebele and his deputy Jeremy Cronin, the identical faces of the highway robbery imposed on taxpayers, have both been shifted. The question is who is now going to answer and clean up for the mess they created.
I personally think when you make changes it should be about replacing what’s not working with something that is.
As things currently stand, the two major crises in South Africa that one can pinpoint with eyes closed are in policing and education. If Zuma’s recent reshuffle was meant to strengthen governance and replace underperforming ministers, he could have started with Blade Nzimande, the higher education minster and his basic education counterpart Angie Motshekga. Then his loyalist Nathi Mthethwa, who heads up our police ministry which has been making headlines recently, should have been fired. Mthethwa is also under investigation over the issue of slush funds. Another minister is the one for women, children and people with disabilities. Zuma should have disbanded the ministry and incorporated it into social development. The current minister, Lulu Xingwana, is useless to say the least.
President Zuma should know the people who put him there deserve better. And they will have a chance to do their own reshuffle of leadership at the ballot box.
Does Manana actually have an education or is he too a product of the H for woodwork clan???
Mdu Manana’s appointment says it all. When we should be taking education seriously, this is the response we get from Zuma?
SASCO wants Manana’s head because they know him very well. A former rabble-rouser in UKZN with no descernable qualities. Just because he was vocal for Zuma against Malema. Shambles.
@ Isaac Mangena
“I personally think when you make changes it should be about replacing what’s not working with something that is.”
Absolutely!!
And all that you said – Extremely well said!
education is no longer vital and pivotal in the neo ANC leadership…clearly,how do you appoint someone with no track record or expertise in education to the highest education office in the land? i truly fear for what’s looming should this clown get a second term.
Relatively seems likely too,he’s truly “the worst president ever for South Africa post 1994 indeed.
im quite sure he plays the wheel game and wherever it stops is how and where most of his ministries and ministers are selected.
Shame on you……………
The trouble is that in what is effectively a one party state – what do you do about it?
What happened to the Afrikaner Nats and the Russian Communists was that the party split.
He has dictatorship tactics and he must leave, he must go. This is the only time Juju’s words sounds good for a comment, he really had a point when he called him a dictator. I now suspect that Msholozi is trying to gain the support of ‘abeslisa’ by employing females everywhere, some of them blonde and unable to go through Press Statements, it’s a strategy chief, he knows that women are the majority in the country (world), which is why he is sorrounding himself with them, seriously though and he is doing it in the name of empowering US which is all good, because we are going to oust all the African dictators and take over this country and the continent.
He must have had a brief meeting with Gaddafi before he killed him with a vote to NATO.
You are spot on – Zuma sees himself as a giant patronage dispenser and jobs as a reward for slavish loyalty to the chief. Everything he does is about rewards, favours and thank yous – I really have never seen any sign of principles or values whatsoever. He likes people who are loyal, grovelling and mediocre. Lindiwe Sisulu was a fine minister of Defence and had more balls than most of the men in the cabinet. But she was not a bootlicker or a groveller to the Big Man for rewards… so guess what… she goes……
Gad, I could tell things were bad, but didn’t realise it was quite this bad.
Lordie, so Cronin’s gone to Public Works. It would be nice to think that this is because he’s a friend of labour, but given the way he suddenly discovered, after ten years of attacking it, that the Gautrain was a brilliant idea, I wonder if he’s been put there to privatise the Ministry?
Zuma’s circling the wagons. He’s obviously learned something from all his government’s meetings with right-wing Afrikaners!
The reality is that Zuma has the ‘ vote of confidence in his “inability ” ‘ to govern as a guarantee, so he remains untouchable and the only way to change that is for the people who can think for themselves to vote him out. Unfortunately they are too few so he just smiles knowingly, on his merry way to dictatorship. We are on the road to nowhere and have only our own stupidity to blame. We cannot complain about these idiots because we are the reason they are there and we gave them unbridled license to screw us. The greatest mistake is that we keep on doing the same things over and over and over, knowing full well that our mistakes are being repeated again and again. Stupid is as stupid does.
Mr Mangena we need educated leaders like you. I hope the ANC reads you article I am impressed. I totally agree that you cant appoint someone with no higher education track record into such a high ministry.
Mangena seems to have more logical ability in his left little finger than Zuma has the entire Presidency. I can almost understand the Transport moves…whispering into his ear is one of Transport’s ex-ministers and this ANC lot has proven to be a jealous lot.
Zuma mistakes ‘action’ for showing prowess and he continually mistakes one for the other in his private and (un)professional lives.
No matter how much they support him now, I’d lay a bet that this is the president all SAns will regret the most.
It is with devastating regret that I realise that people for whom I could once muster some slight respect: Manuel, Gorhan, Sexwale, Sisulu, etc. have simply wound themselves up in a chrysalis each and hunkered down for the winter. Has no one there even an ounce of credibility?
What do you get when you reward, motivate or promote and Idiot? You get a motivated idiot at higher pay. People who served terms in jobs that they were incapable of doing will still be unable to do the jobs that they have been moved to. So the circus goes on but as long as they show gratitude and loyalty to the “chief” it’s all OK.
You don’t have to be a drunkard to run a bottler store?. You don’t have to be a carpenter to run a furniture business, but it sure helps. You don’t have to be a builder to run a construction company but it sure helps. You don’t have to be an engineer to run an engineering company, but it sure helps. You don’t have to be a policeman to run the police services, but it sure helps. You don’t need and education to run the department of education, but it sure helps and you don’t need and education to be the president, but it sure helps. What do you get when you award Zinzi Mandela with a tender to build houses? You get houses that fall down. What do you get when you take money needed for power stations and infrastructure to buy armaments that are not needed? You get power failures galore. What do you get when money set aside for service delivery is stolen? You get mass protests and destruction, but who cares as long as those in power can feather their own nests at will.
The African National Circus is the best show in town!
I do indeed sincerey hope that the standard “ANC-voting fodder” masses have noticed the “improved service delivery and the way the government works” ”
“We had to change the way government works in order to improve service delivery. Our mission was guided by improving the quality of the lives of South Africans,” Zuma said that time.
Somehow the penny should have dropped by now for many of them.
Zuma must issue his resignation to the NEC of the ANC before the Mangaung Conference and let Kgalema to take over.But really how does he elect his leadership?he is the moron killing our Education system and our Police Department .
After 18 years of flopping about like fish out of water, the ANC still thinks they can rule a country. What a shame the majority of voters simply vote out of blind loyalty to a party that allegedly set them free.
That’s right ANC; keep em stupid with inferior education. 6 Months into the new year and many schools don’t even have text books!
Having the ANC in government is like having blind people test the quality of LED screens on TVs.
I can’t understand why people would still vote for such a distructive leader. What has he done for the needy and unprivelaged? He only looks after his own interests. He employs his mates to score personally and neglects the majority. This is becoming far worse than Apartheid ever was. When will the people wake up!!!!
Thank you Issak for this well written article, the important question is after all you have witten, when will the people learn, do we need a civil war hopefully NOT
@Maraai
He’s done a lot for the needy and underprivileged! Just look at what he did for those incarcerated unreasonably:
http://ictj.org/news/zuma%E2%80%99s-presidential-pardons-process-%E2%80%9Cunconstitutional%E2%80%9D
“Those recommended for special pardon include persons responsible for:
The killing of an entire family including a five-month old baby,
Serial killings (one offender was convicted of 21 murders, another for 19 murders),
Racist and brutal assaults on black protesters,
The bombing of a grocery store frequented by black people on Christmas eve 1996 resulting in 4 deaths and 67 serious injuries,
A cash-in-transit heist in 1998 claimed as “fund-raising” for the Pan African Congress’s 1999 election campaign, and
Kidnapping, armed robbery, arson, housebreaking, theft and unlawful possession of explosives.”
He’s helping people out, isn’t he?
@Max
Zuma’s ‘largesse’ is frightening. He has no concern for the safety of society – just as long as he can garner votes and feather his own nest.
By comparison with his diabolic release of the ‘recently incarcerated’ criminals, Schabier Schaik’s release because he was lying – sorry, dying – seems almost lawful.
Of couse, it’s not: I should have said ‘awful’.
But with Zuma at the helm of an ANC government as corrupt as this one is, one has to measure everything by comparing the depths of the various levels of degeneracy to which it has sunk. (or maybe I should have said ‘stunk’)