[imagesource:  Wikimedia Commons/Flickr, CC BY-ND]

The much-anticipated cabinet reshuffle, which had been on the cards for a while, was announced by President Ramaphosa last night.

His address was originally slated for 8:30PM, but was pushed back to 9PM, which is still far earlier than the midnight antics former president Jacob Zuma used to pull.

Gone are the days of waking up to the likes of weekend finance minister Des van Rooyen, although a few of Ramaphosa’s appointments certainly warrant closer scrutiny.

In terms of the reshuffle, here’s what you’re looking at, via EWN:

You’ll notice that Dr. Zweli ‘Digital Vibes’ Mkhize is no longer around, having resigned, according to official statements.

Well, come now, it was almost certainly one of those jump or you’ll be pushed scenarios, and everybody knows it:

Zweli Mkhize did not resign, he was fired… lets not play that game le yena

— Matshidiso Madia (@tshidi_lee) August 5, 2021

Or, put another way:

Zweli Mkhize has fallen on his sword in the way you fall on your sword when the boss ninja tells you to fall on your sword and you say Nah and he says No Really and you say Uh-uh and then he takes your sword and sticks you with it and you fall over and happen to land on it.

— Tom Eaton (@TomEatonSA) August 5, 2021

If you’re going to loot, do it right, as per Zapiro and his latest cartoon on The Daily Maverick:

Accurate.

All of that aside, there’s one appointment that stands out from the rest – Enoch Godongwana slotting in as minister of finance, as Tito Mboweni resigns.

If Godongwana’s name sounds somewhat familiar, unlike some of the news coverage shortly after the announcement, you may remember this:

This issue was HUGE. Even his Comrades were outraged! Involvement in company that defrauded clothing factory workers of R100-million of pension money? And Mac Maharaj telling us Godongwana was resigning to “pursue personal interests?” And the lies at Inquiry? You MUST remember!

— Redi Tlhabi (@RediTlhabi) August 5, 2021

Let’s take a closer look at Godongwana’s past via the Mail & Guardian, and a story published in early 2012:

Godongwana, deputy minister of economic development, quit his post this week in the face of growing outrage in government circles about his involvement in a company that allegedly defrauded clothing factory workers of R100-million of their pension fund money…

“The pension fund scandal was massive. Government, other stakeholders and the business community were outraged by what had happened and they wanted Godongwana to step down to let the law take its course,” said an official close to the events.

Our new finance minister was forced to resign in 2012 because he was suspected (the trail of bank accounts doesn’t look good) of helping to pilfer around R100 million in pension funds belonging to factory workers.

Now, nine years later, he is our finance minister.

Oh, by the way, there’s also this:

In 2004, he was embroiled in another scandal when he was fired as MEC of finance by Nosimo Balindlela, then premier of the Eastern Cape, following an inquiry she had ordered into corruption and maladministration in the province.

According to a report in the Daily Dispatch, Godongwana was accused of giving his wife, Thandiwe, and another relative R17-million in loans from the Eastern Cape Development Corporation, an accusation he strongly denied.

The good news from last night is that Ramaphosa did ring some changes in the national security portfolios.

Bheki Cele somehow survived as minister of police, but former defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has been fired after totally botching the response to the recent unrest and looting mayhem.

Sadly, that means we are not yet rid of the twat in the hat, but at least a few rotten apples have been kicked to the curb.

[sources:ewn&mg&dailymav]