Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa reportedly postponed the announcement of his new Cabinet on Thursday due to ill health.
According to News24, Ramaphosa had been expected finalise consultations with ANC officials at Mahlamba Ndlopfu – the president’s official residence in Pretoria on Thursday.
The meeting was, however, called off at the eleventh hour, with the officials being told that the president had a cold.
“They were told by the ANC SG [Fikile Mbalula] that the president has a cold and that they would not meet as expected,” the report quoted a well-placed source as saying.
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Ramaphosa was said to have been unwell since Monday, when he hosted Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, the report said.
The president’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said earlier this week that Ramaphosa was expected to unveil a new Cabinet “in a number of days”.
Speaking following Tuesday’s resignation of former deputy president David Mabuza as MP, Magwenya confirmed that there were “vacancies in the Cabinet. We also have a vacancy in the role of the deputy president”.
“There is a sense of urgency that the president fills those vacancies as soon as possible. In a matter of days that announcement will be made,” Mail and Guardian quoted Magwena as saying.
Ramaphosa is under pressure to fill vacancies in his executive, including the deputy president position, and select the new electricity minister.
The president announced the plans to appoint a minister of electricity during his State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The minister will oversee all aspects of the electricity crisis response, including the work of the National Energy Crisis Committee.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
