President Cyril Ramaphosa tiptoed into the spotlight with a late-night cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday.
Swapping Thembi Simelane with Mmamoloko Kubayi, Ramaphosa claimed that this was all in the name of effectiveness.
But one can’t help but wonder: is “effectiveness” now the political euphemism for “I had no choice”?
The DA, South Africa’s self-appointed chief watchdog, seems to have had a significant hand in this latest political development.
The party’s campaign to remove Simelane from the justice portfolio reverberated through the corridors of power, like a persistent echo that Ramaphosa couldn’t quite ignore.
Ramaphosa’s response raises the question: Is this reshuffle a reflection of the ruling party’s shifting stance or a testament to the DA’s undue growing influence?
Simelane is now tasked with the human settlements portfolio.
The ANC integrity commission, custodians of the quest for political accountability, has yet to report back on its investigation into Simelane.
What’s the urgency, Mr President? Could this reshuffle not wait until we’ve carved the Christmas turkey and broken our New Year’s resolutions?
Are unsubstantiated allegations determining Simelane’s political fate, or is there something more sinister at work?
Significance of transparency
The nation recalls 2017 with a shiver of déjà vu.
Former president Jacob Zuma’s decision to sack Pravin Gordhan from as finance minister led to a legal showdown that echoed through the halls of justice.
The DA, refusing to be mere spectators, demanded transparency, and Judge Bashir Vally obliged by ordering Zuma to produce the records of his decision.
This was a watershed moment — proof that even the highest office in the land cannot act with impunity.
But here we are, six years later, and the ghosts of reshuffle past still haunt us.
Ramaphosa, crowned as the paragon of accountability and clean governance, surely understands the significance of transparency. However, in this case, he has opted to conceal his reasoning behind a veil of mystery.
The country deserves more than a terse, one-line explanation delivered under the cover of darkness. After all, it’s not as if we’re asking for classified state secrets.
An old saying states that sunlight serves as the best disinfectant.
Speculation and doubt
Perhaps it’s time for the Presidency to embrace this philosophy; as a rule of thumb every reshuffle should come with a detailed explanation.
This is not only to satisfy the inquisitive minds of the nation, but also to guarantee that power does not exclusively belong to the elite, who can afford to engage in legal battles.
This is because, quite frankly, not every citizen has the financial means or the appetite to challenge the head of state in court.
One can’t help but imagine Ramaphosa’s dilemma. Balancing the demands of political allies, the opposition and the nation is no small task. Yet, when decisions seem shrouded in secrecy, it leaves room for speculation and doubt.
What did Kubayi, the former human settlements minister, do to merit her sudden new role?
Was Simelane’s tenure truly ineffective, or was she just the scapegoat in this political chess game?
Thorn in the side of the ANC
Let’s be straightforward. We cannot dismiss the DA’s role in Simelane’s shift as a mere coincidence. The party’s reputation as a thorn in the side of the ANC is well-earned, and its influence appears to extend beyond mere rhetoric.
But it’s high time the Presidency stops allowing external forces to dictate its actions without providing a transparent rationale to the public.
The time for cryptic messages has passed.
The Presidency must adopt transparency not as an occasional gesture but as standard practice.
For without it, the echoes of discontent will only grow louder, and the shadows of doubt will continue to cast long, dark silhouettes over the corridors of power.
