President Cyril Ramaphosa (right) congratulates Dina Pule following her appointment to Cabinet as Minister of Social Development on July 1. The fact that Pule’s appointment happened on the eve of the Local Government Elections does not augur well for the ANC, says the writer.
Prof. Bheki Mngomezulu
Yesterday, on July 1, 2026, Acting Deputy Chief Justice Nonkosi Mhlantla presided over the swearing-in of new Ministers and Deputy Ministers. During this event, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the names of the three Ministers and four Deputy Ministers.
While there was nothing strange about these appointments, a few questions arise.
Firstly, was this cabinet reshuffle initiated by the president or was it an initiative by Geordin Hill-Lewis, the newly elected DA leader?
