Cabinet reshuffle: Siyabonga Cwele replaces Gigaba as Minister of Home Affairs

Dr. Siyabonga Cwele served as the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services from 2014. Before that, he was Minister of Intelligence from 2008 to 2009, and Minister of State Security from 2009 to 2014.

In addition, he is also serving as a Commissioner representing the South African Government on the UN Broadband Commission of Sustainable Developing.

Cwele has been been a Member of Parliament since 1994 and holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in Medical Policy from the University of KwaZulu Natal, as well as a postgraduate diploma in child health, and an Master of Philospy in Economics.

Prior to the advent of democracy, Dr Cwele was involved during the struggle for liberation from the mid-eighties, and today serves a member of the national and provincial leadership of the ANC. During the cabinet reshuffle, President Ramaphosa said:

“In making these changes, I remain determined that the cabinet of our nation should have what I would call an appropriate mix of experience and capability, as well as gender, as well as a generation mix as well. And that it should have members who are committed to serve the people of our country.”

Cwele will be taking over from Malusi Gigaba, who resigned on 13 November after the public protector recommended that he face disciplinary process for violating the constitution and ethics codes by lying under oath.

Read more: Malusi Gigaba: From sex tapes to Candy Crush, here are his biggest cock-ups

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Siyabonga Cwele as the Minister of Home Affairs and Nomvula Mokonyane has been appointed as the Minister of Environmental Affairs #CabinetReshuffle pic.twitter.com/h1KJJgrd77

— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) November 22, 2018

There are doubts as to whether Cwele is the right man for the job, with one Twitter user pointing out:

“How is Siyabonga Cwele gonna handle Home Affairs when he couldn’t handle his home affairs… He didn’t know that his wife was a drug dealer… #CabinetReshuffle“

Hugh Bafokeng said we “may end up missing Malusi Gigaba there, just saying,” while another added that President Ramaphosa’s announcement will make “drug dealers happy.”

Sheryl Cwele handed herself over to authorities at the Pietermaritzburg High Court back 2012 after the Supreme Court of Appeal increased her original sentence of 12 years to 20 years.

Read more: Cabinet reshuffle: Full list of changes made by Cyril Ramaphosa

[h/t: ITU Telecom World]