The swearing-in ceremony of members of the new government of national unity (GNU) cabinet was not short on drama and comedy, as certain newly appointed ministers, such as Gayton McKenzie and Pemmy Majodina, left the audience in stitches.
On Wednesday, deputy president Paul Mashatile and the rest of the ministers and deputy ministers were sworn in. This took place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (ICC).
The swearing-in ceremony was presided over by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
President Cyril Ramaphosa and National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza were present during the ceremony.
After administering the oath of office to new Sports, Arts and Culture Minister McKenzie, Zondo told McKenzie to take a seat and sign the oath.
McKenzie reminded of his prison sentence
“Thank you; take a seat,” said Zondo to McKenzie.
McKenzie replied: “The last time a judge asked me to sit, he made me sit for 10 years.”
This prompted Zondo, Ramaphosa, Mashatile and the rest of the cabinet members in the crowd to laugh their lungs out.
“That was a long time,” Zondo said while still laughing.
McKenzie was talking about the 10 year sentence meted out to him by the court in 1996 for armed robbery. McKenzie was sentenced to 17 years in jail for armed robbery.
He was released from prison in 2003.
Constitution allows him to serve in cabinet
McKenzie is also a member of parliament in the seventh administration representing the Patriotic Alliance. He is eligible to be an MP and minister, despite having a criminal record. This is because of Section 47 of the South African Constitution.
Section 47 of the Constitution states that a person is prohibited from standing for election to the National Assembly if they have previously been convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to more than 12 months’ imprisonment without the option of a fine. However, it also says this prohibition falls away five years after the sentence has been completed.
Meanwhile, earlier, new Water and Sanitation Minister Majodina initially took her oath in IsIXhosa. But she had to take it again in English. This was because the IsIXhosa oath that needed to be signed by her and Zondo was not available.
“Idrama le (this is drama),” said Majodina in IsIXhosa while laughing.
Then, while taking and reading her oath in English, Majodina struggled to read the word “conscientiously”. She blamed her inability to read the word in the English language.
This prompted the cabinet members in the crowd to burst into laughter.
English versus isiXhosa
Attempts by Zondo to help Majodina read the word bore no fruit, as she still struggled to read the word.
“We will get it right, we will get it right, we will get it right,” said Zondo three times.
“Ke sekgowa ntate (It is English, sir),” said a smiling Majodina.
Mashatile and all newly appointed ministers and deputy ministers were sworn in on Wednesday.
Ramaphosa appointed the GNU cabinet on Sunday. It consists of cabinet members from the ANC, DA, IFP, PA, FF+, Good, PAC, Al-Jamah, and the UDM.
The cabinet has 33 departments, including the deputy president’s office.
