[sf gate] South African President Jacob Zuma announced a reshuffle of the Cabinet he appointed 17 months ago, firing seven ministers including Barbara Hogan who ran public enterprises and Siphiwe Nyanda in charge of communications.
Hogan, whose ministry is responsible for state power company Eskom Holdings Ltd. and transport company Transnet Ltd., will be replaced by Malusi Gigaba, currently deputy minister of home affairs. Roy Padayachee, the deputy minister of public service and administration, will take over Nyanda's post, Zuma told reporters in Pretoria today.
Zuma is facing increased pressure from labor union allies to speed up economic growth and create more jobs for the one in four people without work. Nyanda was cleared of corruption allegations by the country's Public Protector in August.
"Nyanda's move is quite understandable," Lawrence Schlemmer a political analyst and director of research company MarkData, said in a phone interview from Cape Town. "The management of his portfolio has been very controversial. Hogan's move is a little unfair. It is a great pity that she wasn't given more time in Cabinet."
Africa's biggest economy shed 870,000 jobs last year following the first recession in 17 years. The government said Oct. 26 it plans to weaken the currency, drive down interest rates and rein in spending under a new growth plan that aims to create 5 million jobs in the next decade.
'Faster Pace'
"Government has to work at a faster pace to change the lives of the poor," Zuma said. "We have taken a long and hard look at some of the departments with a view to strengthening some ministries."
Zuma also replaced Labor Minister Membathisi Mdladlana with Mildred Oliphant and appointed Edna Molewa minister of water and environmental affairs in place of Buyelwa Sonjica. He also replaced his ministers of social development, arts and culture, women's affairs, public works and sport. Two ministers switched portfolios.
"This is a serious, serious Cabinet reshuffle," said Adam Habib, a political analyst at the University of Johannesburg. "It sends an important message to the public that yes, we are worried about service delivery and are acting against corruption. I don't see this as changing the political alliances within the Cabinet."
Zuma also announced the appointment of 17 deputy ministers, including Enoch Godongwana, currently the deputy minister of public enterprises, as deputy minister of economic development. Barbara Thompson was named deputy energy minister, while Godfrey Oliphant was named deputy mines minister.
South Africa's Zuma Fires Hogan, Nyanda From Cabinet
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