[imagesource: Jairus Mmutle / GCIS]

Heads will roll, everybody will be held accountable for both the recent insurrection and years of corrupt and criminal ineptitude, and ministers will only be appointed to head departments relevant to their skillset and knowledge.

Of course, we jest.

For years, politicians have been shunted from one department to the next, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake, without ever facing the music.

In light of the unrest and looting which gripped the nation last month, as well as the Digital Vibes scandal that has led to health minister Zweli Mkhize being placed on ‘special leave’, President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to shuffle the deck.

If it involves reappointing the current crop of ministers, I would liken it to shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic.

TimesLIVE reports that the shuffle is “imminent”:

But conversations with people in his inner circles, in the ANC and government, indicate the biggest changes in the coming reshuffle will be in the security cluster, whose credibility was heavily eroded after the recent riots.

Image: GCIS

There has been talk of the president appointing his close political associate Senzo Mchunu as state security minister responsible for the country’s intelligence services.

Mchunu would replace Ayanda Dlodlo (above), who didn’t cover herself in glory during the unrest.

That’s not a nail in the coffin for other ministers, though, and somehow police minister Bheki Cele is tipped to keep his job.

This despite his constant squabbling with national police commissioner Khehla Sitole clearly hindering how law enforcement reacts to critical events like the unrest.

There has also been speculation that finance minister Tito Mboweni could get the chop, but the man Ramaphosa would like to replace him with, Reserve Bank governor Lesetja Kganyago, isn’t keen on the job.

That report finishes by saying that a truly rotten apple, human settlements, and water affairs minister Lindiwe Sisulu, is unlikely to be retained.

Great, but she’s rumoured to be gearing up to launch a presidential campaign ahead of the next ANC national conference, which is genuinely terrifying.

Image: Brandan Reynolds / TimesLIVE]

A source familiar with Monday’s ANC national working committee (NWC) meeting spoke to News24, and confirmed that the security cluster is under scrutiny, and changes are expected to be announced:

“The president just announced that he’s still going to further consult, but he is going to reshuffle. Quite a few ministers will be reshuffled. All vacant positions are expected to be filled as well.”

It’s reported that there were calls for Mkhize to resign at the NWC meeting, although that is said to be a topic for the next ANC national executive committee meeting.

How much more do they need than the SIU report sitting on Ramaphosa’s desk?

[sources:timeslive&news24]