South Africa has a new minister and deputy minister of communications & digital technologies.
In a big cabinet shake-up late on Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the current communications minister, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, will be shifted to the small business development portfolio. Deputy minister Pinky Kekana also vacates her post to become second deputy minister in the presidency.
The new minister of communications is Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, while the new deputy minister is Philly Mapulane.
Ntshavheni, 44, served as the municipal manager of Ba-Phalaborwa municipality in Limpopo, a position that she held from April 2008 until November 2010. She is also a previous tourism manager for trade & investment in Limpopo and a former CIO for the department of local government & housing in the same province. She served as spokeswoman to the premier of Limpopo and had lectured at Unisa.
The new minister has an MBA from Bradford University in the UK. She also has a BA(Hons) in development studies and a BA(Hons) in labour relations, both from the University of Johannesburg.
‘Vast experience’
According to her government profile, she has “vast work experience in strategic management, IT, change management, and communication and marketing. She founded a company called Nkho Trading, a transport business with interests in property development.
Ntshavheni has been acting minister in the presidency following the death earlier this year of Jackson Mthembu.
The new deputy minister, Mapulane, has been serving as chairman of parliament’s portfolio committee on higher education, science & technology. He was previously chairman of the portfolio committee on environmental affairs. From 2007 to 2009, he held the position of municipal manager at the Madibeng local municipality in Brits. He also served as MEC for the North West provincial legislature from 2010 to 2014 and as treasurer of the ANC provincial executive committee. He has been an ANC MP since 2014.
Ramaphosa also announced that finance minister Tito Mboweni will leave his portfolio and will be replaced in the role by ANC economic stalwart Enoch Godongwana.
The new ministers in Ramaphosa’s cabinet are:
- Minister in the presidency: Mondli Gungubele
- Minister of communications & digital technologies: Khumbudzo Ntshavehni
- Minister of defence: Thandi Modise
- Minister of finance: Enoch Godongwana
- Minister of health: Joe Phaala (the former minister, Zweli Mkhize, resigned under a cloud of corruption)
- Minister of human settlements: Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane
- Minister of public service & administration: Ayanda Dlodlo
- Minister of small business: Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams
- Minister of tourism: Lindiwe Sisulu
- Minister of water & sanitation: Senzo Mchunu – © 2021 NewsCentral Media
