Angie Motshekga sworn-in as South Africa’s Acting President [photo]

Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, will be relieved (her office has been catching some flak lately) that she has been called on to assume President Cyril Ramaphosa’s position in his absence.

Angie Motshekga steps in as Acting President of South Africa

Yes, believe it or not, in the interim. Angie Motshekga is currently South Africa’s Acting President, in the absence of Ramaphosa and Deputy President, David Mabuza, who are both on international duty.

[Photos] Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga sworn-in as Acting President of the Republic of South Africa in view of the simultaneous working visits by President and Deputy President. pic.twitter.com/OkMu5NmZH0

— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) November 1, 2019

On the eve of the Rugby World Cup final, the Presidency tweeted images of Ramaphosa mounting his presidential jet that’s headed to Yokohama, Japan.

Ramaphosa will share a skybox with British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson as the Springboks and England square off for the Webb Ellis Cup, on Saturday. At this stage, it is not clear when the president will be back home to relieve Motshekga.

Where is David Mabuza?

Mabuza, on the other hand, will not be back in South Africa, until Sunday, 3 November, when he returns from his visit to China, where he is representing the country at the Seventh Session of the South Africa-China Bi-National Commission.

Mabuza has been accompanied by a delegation of government officials who will provide support in engagements between the political leadership of the two countries that will precede the commission.

The delegation includes; the Deputy Ministers of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Masego Dlamini; Trade and Industry, Mr Fikile Majola; and Environmental, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms Makhotso Magdeline Sotyu.

President sends condolences to Gwala family

The first call, as the Acting President, Angie Motshekga took on was to pass on Ramaphosa’s message to the grieving family of Xolani Gwala.

The veteran radio host succumbed to a two-year battle with colon cancer and passed on in the early hours of Friday morning.

“We have lost a youthful veteran in an important sector in our country. As a professional who qualified in the mid-1990s, Xolani Gwala carried with him the values of our transition to democracy – the values of listening and being open to views that conflict with or offend your own, and a focus on solutions.

“We will miss his voice, his insight and his love for our country but we will remain grateful that he gave a voice to thousands of South Africans who shared their joys and frustrations in life on the many platforms Xolani commanded with excellence,” the president wrote.

In the interim, all matters related to the well being of South Africa have been left in the hands of Motshekga.